the Iewish ceremonies this is great presumption to thinke it is lawfull for the Church to doe whatsoeuer Christ and his Apostles did Fulk 1. Tim. 4. sect 18. The Protestants ALthough there be great moderation to bee vsed in the ceremonies of the Church and there is also some limitation for them yet hath the Church greater libertie in the rites and ceremonies which are appoynted for order and comelinesse sake then in the doctrine of fayth and religion The doctrine of saluation is alwayes the same and cannot be changed and toucheth the conscience But rites and ceremonies are externall and commanded for order sake and neither are they vniuersall the same in euery Church nor perpetuall but are changed according to times and as there is occasion Againe the precepts of Christianitie are either directly expressed or necessarilie concluded out of the scriptures but externall rites and ceremonies are not particularlie declared in the word there are onely certaine generall rules set downe according to the which all ceremonies brought into the Church are to bee examined as for the Sacraments of the Church they cannot bee altered hauing a perpetuall commandement from Christ Therefore the Church cannot appoynt what how many ceremonies soeuer she shall thinke good but according to these foure rules and conditions which followe here in order 1 All things ought to bee done to the glorie of God euen in ciuill actions much more in things appertayning to the seruice of God 1. Cor. 10.31 Our aduersaries offend agaynst this rule applying and annexing remission of sinnes to their owne inuentions and superstitious ceremonies as vnto penance and extreame vnction which they also make Sacraments for this is greatly derogatorie to Christs institution who hath only appoynted the hearing of his word and vse of the Sacraments for the begetting and encreasing of faith and by this faith only is the death of Christ applied vnto vs for the remission of sinnes 2 All things ought to be done orderly and decently 1. Cor. 14.40 Wherefore al ridiculous light vnprofitable ceremonies are to be abolished such our aduersaries haue many as knocking kneeling creeping to the Crosse lighting candles at noone day turning ouer of beades and many phantasticall gestures they haue in their idolatrous Masse as turning returning looking to the East to the West crossing lifting quaffing and shewing the emptie cup with many such toyes 3 All things ought to bee done without offence 1. Corinth 10.32 But to whom that hath but a little feeling of religion is not the abhominable sacrifice of the Masse offensiue What good conscience doth it not grieue that the Priest should create his maker as they say should offer vp the bodie of Christ in sacrifice and be an intercessor as it were for his mediatour desiring God to accept the sacrifice of his sonnes bodie As also to make it a propitiatorie sacrifice for the quicke and the dead But of these matters we shall haue fitter occasion to entreate afterward when we come to the seuerall controuersies 4 All things ought to bee done to edifying 1. Corinth 14. vers 12. But the popish ceremonies are so farre from edifying that by reason of their infinite rabble and number they are a clogge vnto Christians and more burdensome then were the obseruations of the Iewes They haue hallowed fire water bread ashes oyle waxe flowers braunches clay spittle salt incense balme chalices paxes pixes altars corporals superaltars altarclothes rings swords and an infinite companie besides doe these tend thinke you to the edification of the minde Nay they doe cleane destroy and extinguish all spirituall and internall motions drawing the heart from the spiritual worship of God to externall beggerlie and ragged reliques and ceremonies Fulk 1. Timoth. 4. sect 1. Beza lib. confess de eccles articul 18.19.20 The fift question whether the Church of Rome be the true Church THis question hath two parts First whether the Romane Church be the Catholike Church or not Secondly whether the Church of Rome be a true visible Church THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE ROMANE Church be the Catholike Church The Papists BEllarmine defining the Church maketh this one part of the definition to be error 27 subiect vnto the Bishop of Romes iurisdiction Lib. 3. de eccles cap. 2. And therefore they conclude that they are out of the Church and no better then heretikes that doe not acknowledge the Pope to be their chiefe Pastor Canis de praecept eccles cap. 9. So they make the Romane faith and Catholike to bee all one Rhemist annot in 1. Rom. sect 5. Their reasons are none other then we haue seene before taken from vniuersalitie antiquitie vnitie vnto the which wee haue alreadie answered quaest 3. of this controuersie Not. 1 2 3. The Protestants WHile the Church of Rome continued in the doctrine of the Apostles it was a notable and famous visible Church and a principall part and member of the vniuersall Catholike but now since it is degenerate and fallen away from the Apostolike faith from being the house of God to be a synagogue for Antichrist we take it not to be so much as a true visible Church But neuer was it to be counted the Catholike Church as though all other Churches were parts and members of it but it selfe onely was a part as others and Catholike too while it continued in the right faith but not Catholike as hauing iurisdiction ouer the rest and all to receiue this name of her 1 The vniuersall Catholike Church is so called because it conteyneth the whole number of the elect and first borne of God Heb. 12.23 Whereof manie are now saints in heauen many liuing in the earth many yet vnborne But all these were not neither are of the Romane faith the holie men departed knewe not of these superstitious and prodigious vsages which now doe raigne in the Church of Rome nay many of them neuer heard in their life so much as of the name of Rome Ergo. 2 It is called Catholike and vniuersall because they that are to be saued must belong vnto this companie and be of this Church for without the Church there is no saluation for Christ onely gaue himselfe for his Church to sanctifie it and cleanse it Ephes. 5.25 But all that dye out of the faith of the Romane Church do not perish Nay verely we doubt not to say but that all which depart this life in the communion thereof without repentance are barred from saluation and dye out of grace We are in the right faith neither will we be our owne iudges the scriptures shall iudge vs Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1. Iohn 4.2 We beleeue aright in both the natures and all the offices of Christ which you doe not which doe greatly deface his prophetical office in not reuerencing his word but making it imperfect his kingdom in appointing him a Vicar and Vicegerent vpon earth as though he of himselfe were not sufficient to gouerne
India America the vnknowen parts of the world Bellarmin cap. 7. nota 4. We aunswere First the truth is not alwayes to be measured by the iudgement or opinion of the multitude folow not a multitude saith the Scripture to do euill the greatest part is not the best Christ calleth his flocke pusillum gregem a litle flocke feare not litle flocke saith he Secondly you haue nothing to do with the Church which was propagated in the Apostles time nor for the space of fiue or six hundred yeares after Christ it was not your Church for the most of your heresies are more lately sprong vp then so And you need not bragge of your vniuersalitie now for the Turke I trow hath a larger dominion then the Pope and Mahometisme is as largely spread as Papistrie and further to And for Europe I hope you neede not make your boast the Pope had neuer lesse iurisdiction then he hath now and I trust euery day shall haue lesse But many you say in the new found countryes haue bene cōuerted to your religiō In deed if you had had grace such an opportunitie being offered as the Spaniards had you might haue won that simple people to Christ. But you thirsted more for their gold then for their soules health it is notoriously knowen to the world what extreme crueltie hath bene wrought vpon that innocent people Was that a Catholike part of the Spaniardes to keepe dogges of purpose to werry and destroy the inhabitants to vse them as horse and beastes to plough to carry to digge Thus by your crueltie there were out of one small Iland called Hispaniola which was well peopled and inhabited destroyed and rooted out in short time two milions of men and women the storie of Benzo an Italian is abroad to be seene of this matter you haue none or few of your Popish Catholikes in those countryes but of your owne brood that haue bene sent thither but enough of this 3 We nothing doubt but that our faith the truth of the Gospell hath bene long since knowen and published to the whole world Those two cōditions which the Iesuite putteth in to make the Church vniuersall do helpe vs very well the first is that it is not necessarie that all coūtryes wholly should professe the Christiā faith but it suffiseth if there be some of the church in euery country the second it is not requisite that this vniuersalitie of the Church should be all at one time but if it be done successiue that is in diuerse ages one country to be ioyned to the Church after another it is enough Now keeping these two conditions we shall easily proue our Church to be vniuersall for there are no countryes in Europe and few in the whole world wherein there are not some of our faith namely that abhorre worshipping of Images do onely hope to be saued by faith in Christ without merite and beleeue in the rest as we do And againe taking one age after another we shall easily make it good that our faith at times hath spread it selfe ouer the whole world The third Note of Succession THey make great boast of the long and perpetuall successiō of their Popes error 20 from the Apostles for the space of these 1500. yeares and more condemning all Churches which can not shew the like order of succession Bellarmin cap. 8. Rhemist annot in Ephe. 4. ver 13. We aunswer First they can not shew such an entier and perpetuall successiō without any interruptiō or discontinuance for so many yeares for sometime there were two sometime three Popes together and this schisme continued 29. yeares till the Councell of Constance where three Popes were deposed at once Benedict 13. the Spanish Pope Gregorie 12. the French Pope and Iohn 23. the Italian Pope 2 If succession be so sure a note of the Church it is found also in other Churches besides as in Cōstātinople where hath bene a perpetuall succession as Nicephorus saith from S. Andrew the Apostle in Antioch from S. Peter and in other Churches in Grecia The Iesuite here is driuen to his shiftes and hath nothing to say but this that the argument foloweth negatiuely that where there is no succession there is no Church not affirmatiuely that where any succession can be shewed there straightwayes it should folow there is a true Church so by the Iesuites owne confession he hath made but a bad argument for the Church of Rome we haue a perpetuall succession of Popes from the Apostles time Ergo we are the Church It foloweth not saith the Iesuite we graunt it Why then a litle before did he call it insolubile argumentum an insosoluble and vnanswerable argument 3 Thirdly we say that a succession of persons in the same place without succession of doctrine which they can not shew is nothing worth A succession of the Apostolike faith and doctrine proueth a continuance of pastors and teachers and not contrariwise We haue the Apostolike faith and therefore we doubt not but that there haue bene continually in the Church faithfull teachers by whom that doctrine hath bene preserued and kept though they were not famous nor carried a glorious shew in the world For that outward succession is not necessarie neither so much to be stood vpon Augustine whē he had alledged succession against heretikes concludeth thus Quanquam non tantū nos de istis documentis praesumamus quā de Scripturis sanctis although saith he we presume not so much vpon these documēts as of holy Scripture The fourth Note of Vnitie error 21 OVr aduersaries do stand much vpon vnitie which they thinke is the glorie of their Church they doe embrace vnitie amongest them selues and all ioyne in obedience to their head Their vnitie also is seene say they in the wonderfull consent of all their writers in matters of Religion and the notable agreement and concord in the decrees of their Popes and Councels But as for vs and our Church they say it is full of rents schismes and diuisions Bellarm. First of the vnitie of their church and then of the vnitie of ours Their vnitie they say is partly seene in their obedience and louing societie and felowship partly in their Religion and doctrine First for their concord and loue one toward another we will take some paynes a litle to decypher it About the yeare of the Lord 900. there was pretie sport amongest the Popes nine of them one after another Stephen the sixth abrogated all his predecessor Formosus decrees and not content with that he tooke vp his body which was buried and cut two fingers of his right hād off and commaunded his body to be buried againe After him succeeded Pope Rhomanus Theodorus the second Iohn the tenth who ratified and confirmed the doings of Formosus After them folowed Pope Sergius who disanulling all their actes tooke vp againe the body of Formosus cut of his head and commaunded his body to be throwen into Tiber the great riuer in Rome
his Priesthood in setting vp another sacrifice Ergo your spirit is not of God 3 The Catholike Church is so called because it embraceth the whole and onely doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Ephes. 2. vers 20. But the Romane Church receiueth many things contrary to scripture and addeth many things vnto it as it shall appeare throughout this whole discourse Ergo. 4 The Catholike Church hath the name because it is dispersed ouer the whole earth Acts 1. vers 8. But so was neuer the Romane faith which is now professed as we haue shewed before Quaest. 3. de Eccles. Not. 2. Ergo ex Amand. Polan THE SECOND PART THE CHVRCH OF Rome is not a true visible Church The Papists THeir arguments are as wee haue heard Quaest. 3. of the notes of the Church error 28 grounded vpon their succession miracles gift of prophesiyng answered sufficiently afore Not. 4.5.6 Wee neede not nor must not for breuities sake repeate the same things often Protestants WE denie vtterly that they are a true visible Church of Christ but an Antichristian Church and an assembly of heretickes and enemies to the Gospell of Iesus Christ. 1 That cannot bee a true Church where the word of God is not truely preached nor the Sacraments rightly administred according to Christs institution So are they not in the Popes Church For the word is not sincerely taught but they haue added many inuentions of their owne and doe preach contrarie Doctrines to the Scripture the Sacraments also they haue not kept for first they haue augmented the number they haue made fiue more of confirmation orders penance Matrimonie extreame vnction beside the Sacraments of Christ they haue corrupted In baptisme beside water they vse spittle salt oyle Chrisme contrarie to the institution and they lay such a necessitie vpon this Sacrament that al which die without it say they are damned In the Lordes Supper they haue turned the Sacrament to a sacrifice made an Idol of bread chaunged the Communion into priuate masses taken the cup from the lay people and many other abhominations are committed by them Ergo neither hauing the word nor Sacraments according to the institution they are no true Church 2 They which are enemies to the true Church and doe persecute the members thereof are no true visible Church they cannot be of that Church which they persecute as Bellarmine saith of Paul how could he bee of that Church which he with al his force oppressed de eccles lib. 3. cap. 7. But they persecute the Saints of God are most cruel towards them as their consciences beare them record Ergo. 3 The habitation of Antichrist cannot be the Church of Christ so is theirs the Pope himselfe is Antichrist for who else but hee sitteth in the temple being an enemie to Christ. 2. Thes. 2. Where haue you a citie in the world built vpon seauen hilles but Rome Apocalyps 17.9 But of this matter we shall of purpose intreate afterward Ergo. they are not a true visible Church THE THIRD CONTROVERSIE CONCERNING COVNCELS A Councel is nothing else but an assembly and gathering together of the people of God about the affaires and businesse of the Church and they are of two sortes either vniuersall in the name of the whole Church or particular which are either National when the learned of a whole Realme are called together or Prouincial when as the Churches of one Prouince doo assemble into one place to consult of Religion There may be two especiall occasions of Councels the one for resisting and rooting out of heresies as the Apostles and elders met together Act. 15. against those which would haue imposed the Iewish ceremonies vppon the beleeuing Gentiles So the Councell of Nice was celebrated the yeare of the Lorde 327. to confound the heresie of Arrius who denied Christ as he was God to be equall to his Father In the Councel of Constantinople Anno 383. or there aboute the heresie of Macedonius was condemned which denied the holy Ghost to bee God In the Ephesine Councel the first Nestorius heresie was ouerthrowne which affirmed Christ to haue two persons Anno 434. The Councel of Chalcedon was collected Anno 454. about the heresie of Eutiches which held that there was in Christ but one nature after his incarnation so confounding his humanitie and diuinitie together The other cause of the calling of Councels is to prouide establish holsome Lawes decrees and constitutions for the gouernement of the Church so the Apostles called the brethren together Act. 6. to take order for the poore And in the Councell of Nice an vniforme order was established for the celebration of Easter which before had much troubled the Church The questions betweene vs and the Papists concerning Councels are these First whether generall Councels be absolutely necessarie Secondly by whome they ought to be called Thirdly of what persons they ought to cōsist Fourthly who should bee the president of the Councel Fiftly concerning the authoritie of them Sixtly whether they may erre or not Seauenthly whether they are aboue the Pope Eightly of the conditions to be obserued in generall Councels of these in order THE FIRST QVESTION CONCERNING the necessitie of Councels The assertion of the Papists THey seeme in wordes to affirme that Generall Councels are not absolutelie error 29 necessarie for the Primitiue Church was without any Councel for the space of 300. yeares and more yet they hold that some Councels either generall or particular are of necessitie to be had Bellarmine de concil lib. 1. cap. 11. And yet this is to be maruelled at that they should so much stand for Councels seeing they might vse a farre more compendious way in referring all to the determination of the Pope whome they boldly but very fondly affirme that hee cannot erre Although they seeme not to lay a necessitie vpon Generall Councels yet in truth they doo contrarie for they allowe no Councels at all without the Popes consent and authoritie neither thinke it lawfull for any Nation or Prouince to make within themselues any innouation or change of Religion So in the assembly at Zuricke Anno 1523. For the reformation of Religion Faber tooke exception against that meeting affirming that it was no conuenient place nor fit time for the discussing of such matter but rather the cognition and tractation thereof belonged to a generall Councel Sleid. lib. 3. And further they hold that what hath beene decreed in a Councel cānot be dissolued but by the like Councel as if the Councel of Trent were to bee disanulled it must be done by the like Synod Bellarmine de cōcil lib. 3. ca. 21. Which Councel they affirme to haue been general therefore another general Councel must by their opinion necessarily be expected before it can be reuoked The confession of the Protestants WE doe hold that generall Councels are an holesome meanes for the repressing and reforming both of errors in Religion and corruption in manners and that true generall Councels ought to
sometime in Rome also tribuni plebis the officers for the people had the chiefe authoritie Now of all these in common-wealth matters the first kinde is the best and safest the Monarchical or princely gouernement The question now is whether the same forme ought to bee reteyned in Church-gouernement and in this question certaine things are to bee obserued First that wee haue not to deale in this place with that part of Ecclesiasticall regiment wherein the prince hath interest as in ordayning Ecclesiasticall Lawes and seeing to the execution thereof but the question is onely of that regiment Ecclesiasticall which is proper to the gouernors of the Church which consisteth in the ministerie of the word and Sacraments in ordaining and electing of Church-ministers in the dispensing of the keyes of the Church in the Ecclesiasticall censures and discipline and such like whether in the Church there ought to bee one chiefe Bishop from whom all other receiue this power in the premisses Secondly the question is not of the spirituall gouernement of Christ who is the chiefe Monarch and King of his Church but of the outward and externall regiment vpon earth Thirdly wee speake not of the state of any particular Church either nationall prouinciall or oppidall but of the generall state of the Church whether ouer all Churches there ought to be one chiefe Bishop These things premised wee come now to the question The Papists THat there ought to bee one chiefe Monarch and high Bishop ouer all the Church in all Ecclesiasticall matters for the deciding of controuersies preseruing the vnitie of the Church from whom all other Ecclesiasticall Ministers doe receiue their power and authoritie they thus would proue 1 The militant Church is in all things answerable and correspondent to the triumphant companie in Heauen as Heb. 8.5 Moses was bid to make all things according to the paterne shewed in the Mount But in heauen there is beside God himselfe a Monarch and chiefe commaunder of the Angels euen Michael the Archangel Reuel 12.7 Michael and his Angels fought Ergo it ought to be so vpon earth We answer First the Church vpon earth neither is nor can be altogether like to the celestiall congregation for there is no temple Reuel 21.22 There shall enter no vncleane thing and many such like differences there are We are bid to follow them in holines and obedience so farre wee must imitate the Angels as in the Lords prayer 3. Petit. As for imitation and conformitie in other things we haue no such commaundement we are promised hereafter to be like them but that is not yet Neither doth that place proue any such thing Heb. 8. For how followeth it Moses was shewed a paterne to make the Tabernacle by Ergo the Church hath a paterne of her gouernement from Heauen When they can shew any such paterne reuealed in the word for their dreames and phantasies we wil not beleeue for the Church as Moses had for the Tabernacle then they shall say somewhat 2 It is a vaine controuersie so to descant of the Angels as to appoynt them a Captaine and commaunder and to make nine orders or bands of them as our Rhemist annot 1. Ephes. vers 21. These are but their dreames they haue not a worde in Scripture for it And concerning Michael they are much deceiued for in that place Apocal. 12.7 Christ is called Michael Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon And who I pray you is the chiefe Captaine of the Church against the diuell and his hoast but Christ And so is it expounded verse 10. Now is saluation in Heauen and the strength and Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ Here hee is called Christ who before is Michael In other places also Michael is vnderstood to be Christ as Dan. 10.21 there is none that holdeth with mee but Michael your Prince here Michael is the prince of the Church and not of the Angels And that Michael is not the prince of the Angels as our aduersaries meane taking Michael for an Angell it is proued out of the 13. verse Michael one of the chiefe princes the Angels are all called princes and not one to bee prince aboue them Likewise the nature and signification of the word Michael agreeth hereunto for it is compounded of three hebrue particles as much as to say one that is equall vnto GOD which name in that sense cannot bee giuen vnto any creature Further Epistle Iud. 9. there is mention made of Michael the Archangell who stroue against the diuell and saide the Lord rebuke thee Sathan where the Apostle alludeth to that place of Zacher 3.2 where the very same words are found but there the prophet calleth him Iehouah that spake those words and here the Apostle calleth him Michael so that in this place it must needes bee vnderstoode for Christ. But to conclude we denie not but that Michael may bee the name of some glorious Angell but out of these places it cannot bee proued And againe we will not stand with them but that there may be degrees of excellencie amongst the Angels as there shall be amongst the Saints but that any one hath any such soueraigne and commaunding authoritie ouer the rest it is a curious and presumptuous surmise 2 The Church of the olde Testament was a figure of the Church vnder the New but they had a high Priest aboue the rest Ergo there ought to be now We answere First we graunt the high Priest was a figure but neither of Peter nor Pope but onely of Christ for in two things did the high Priest resemble Christ in offering of sacrifice so hath Christ offered vp himselfe Heb. 7.27 and in entring into the sanctuarie to make attonement for the people so Christ is entred into the Heauens to appeare in sight for vs before God as the apostle saith Heb. 9.24 I trow in neither of these the high priest could be a type either of Peter or Pope 2 Neither doth it follow because there was an high priest in one countrey therefore there ought to bee one ouer the Churches in al countries as the Iesuite frameth an other argument by a comparison because a bishop is ouer his diocesse a Metropolitane ouer his prouince there may bee as well a Pope ouer the whole Church For by the same reason because a Lorde may bee the chiefe in his seignorie a Duke in his prouince a Prince in his Kingdome therefore there ought to bee an Emperour ouer all the world or as Master Caluine saith because one fielde is committed to one Husbandman to dresse and to till therefore the whole Worlde may which were a thing impossible The Protestants THat there ought not to be any one chiefe Bishop Pope or prelate to exercise iurisdiction ouer the whole Church wee doe thus make it good 1 We acknowledge no head of the Church but Christ neither doth the Scripture attribute this title of Maiestie ouer the whole Church but onely to Christ. If
will say perchance that this Pope was chosen in a schisme for they holde the Councel of Basile to be schismaticall yet they can not neither doe deny but that Pope Martin the 5. who was chosen at Constance was rightfully Pope 3 In Augustines time the rest of the Bishops of Italie neere vnto Rome should seeme to haue had some interest in the election of the Bishop Romanae ecclesiae Episcopum non ordinat Episcopus aliquis metropolitanus sed de proximo Ostiensis Episcopus The B. of Rome is not ordained by any Metropolitane but by the Bishop of Ostia that is neere at hand Breuicul collation lib. 2. cap. 5. THE THIRD QVESTION CONCERNING THE degrees and orders of ecclesiasticall ministers THis question hath 3. parts first of the 7. degrees of popish priesthood Secondly of the difference and distinction of Bishops other Ministers Thirdly of the institution of Cardinals a new degree of the popish Clergie THE FIRST PART OF THE SEVEN degrees or orders Ecclesiasticall The Papists THough they haue diuers degrees of dignitie in the Church as Popes Cardinals Patriarkes Primates and such like yet they make but seuen error 69 Ecclesiasticall orders which are conferred solemnlie by certayne rites and ceremonies by their Bishops And they are these Ostiarij doore-keepers Exorcistae Exorcists Lectores Readers Acolythi Attenders Subdiaconi Subdeacons Diaconi Deacons and the highest degree Sacerdotes Priests vnto the which all the other are but rises and steppes All these they maintaine to be Ecclesiasticall orders and to be retayned in the Church Bellarm. cap. 11. Rhemist 1. Tim. 3. sect 7. They haue no proofe nor warrant out of scripture for these friuolous orders but onely a shew of antiquitie as they alleadge certaine Canons out of the 4. Councel of Carthage where such offices are reckoned vp Rhemist ibid. Answere First to let passe this that the Councel may be suspected for the credite thereof seeming wholly to be patched out of the Popes decrees Secondly we denie not but they had such offices as Readers to reade the text of the scriptures exorcists to cast out diuels which was an extraordinary gift for that time Acoluthists young men appoynted to attend vpon the Bishop for their better instruction Doore-keepers that kept the entrie of the Church that no heathen person or excommunicate should enter But these were both diuers offices then are now appoynted for them in the popish Church for they make them now all or the most ministers and seruitors for the idolatrous seruice of the Masse which in those dayes was not heard of neither though there were such offices and seruices in the Church were they made orders and degrees of the ministerie 3 They had other offices beside which now are not in vse no not amongst the papists for they had also singers labourers confessors diggers or Sextons so that if you will make all those offices vsed in time past in the Church so many orders of the ministery you must make ten or eleuen more then you doe acknowledge or vse in your Church Fulk annot 1. Tim. 3. sect 7. The Protestantes THe question is not betweene vs and our aduersaries in this place concerning the titles and dignities annexed to the ministerie as of Bishops Archdeacons Deanes Prouosts but of the seuerall orders of the Ministery For Bishops and other ministers doe not differ in order but in office of gouernment They holde that there are seuen seuerall such orders which haue their seuerall rites of consecration and peculiar offices in the Church allotted them But we content ourselues with those orders onely and degrees as necessary which the holy scripture hath commended Fulk ibid. 1 As for the names and offices of Subdeacons Readers Exorcists Acolythi doore-keepers we haue no such warrant out of the scripture to make them orders of the Church and therefore we condemne them All necessary orders for the edifying building of the Church the scripture hath prescribed vs Eph. 4.11 there are al offices set down needful for the doctrine instruction edifying of the Church Fulk Ephes. 4. sect 4. Wherefore away with these popish orders inuented by men But as for vnable offices and seruices which shall be thought meete for the affayres and busines of the Church they may bee retayned and kept but not as new orders of the ministerie 2 These offices are first Idolatrous as they are nowe vsed among the papists for the Deacons Subdeacons Acolythi were to attend vpon the Priest at Masse Secondly some of their offices were ridiculous as to sweepe the Church to driue out dogs and to holde a fly-flap of Peacoks feathers to keep the flies from falling into the coÌ„munion cup. Thirdly they were distinguished by ridiculous ornaments attire which were proper to euery one of them as it shall appeare now in their description From the Priest when he was disgraded they tooke the Chalice patine and host that he should haue no power any more to offer sacrifice they scraped his nayles with a peece of glasse and so tooke away his annoynting and lastly they tooke away his priestly ornameÌ„ts the Cheâ—ile which signified charitie the Stole that represented the signe of our Lord. FroÌ„ the Deacons in their disgradation they tooke first the booke of the Gospels and so all power to read the Gospels Then they tooke away his Dalmatike a signe of his Leuiticall office and the white Stole behinde his backe that signified innocencie From the Subdeacon they tooke the book of the Epistles that he should haue no more power to reade them also the emptie Chalice and Subdeacons vesture his office was to serue and minister to the Deacons at the Altar The Acolythi did light the candles in the Church and brought wine and water to the altar in pitchers and bottels and in his degradation there was taken from him an emptie flaggon or bottle and a candlestick with a waxe candle put out The order of exorcisme was taken away by depriuing him from power to reade in the booke of exorcismes From the Reader they tooke the booke of Church lectures or lessons Last of all from the doore-keeper was taken the keyes of the Church And so was hee depriued of all power to open or shut the Church doores and to ring the bels Ex Fox pag. 2134. Thus we see how much these offices are degenerate from the ancient vse First they are all but Ministers and attendants for the abominable sacrifice of the masse which in those dayes was not knowen for the Acoluthus or waiter waiteth vpon the Subdeacon the Subdeacon vpon the Deacon and all of them vpon the Priest at Masse Secondly whereas then the Exorcists had a peculiar grace of God to cast out diuels their Exorcists do but reade certaine exorcismes in bookes their Readers onely read the text of scripture now they reade the legends of popish saints Then in time of persecution when Christians assembled in the night the wayters had the charge to light the candles
from his whole ministerie But the power before spoken of hee hath at his first receiuing of orders We thus shew it Whatsoeuer belongeth to the office of a Minister set ouer a flocke or charge hee receiueth the power thereof when he is ordayned But to preach the word belongeth to the office of such for preaching is properly the feeding of the people But see the absurditie of the papists they say it is not proper to the priesthood to preach but onely to haue power to sacrifice the body of Christ But it is proper to the Bishop say they to preach We answere First then the Bishop is properly the pastor of euery flocke and congregation in his diocesse for hee that properly feedeth is properly the Pastor And hee that is properly the Pastor hath the charge of soules properly yea more then hath the particular Pastor for he is improperly their Pastor but as it were the Bishops substitute and Vicar But what Bishop in the worlde is able to beare so great a burthen to haue the especiall and proper charge of all the soules in his diocesse It is not to be denied but he hath a charge of their soules as a Christian Prince also hath in some respect of his subiects but to say hee is the proper Pastor and hath the proper principall charge of soules in teaching and feeding of them for the question is now of preaching not of gouerning who is able to abide it Secondly but our Rhemists tell vs another tale that many that are not able to preach are meete enough to bee Bishops 1. Timoth. 5. sect 13. Ergo it is not proper to Bishops neither to preach I pray you then for whom is it proper if neither for Bishops nor inferior Pastors then for none Thirdly they make but seuen orders of Ecclesiasticall Ministers and the priesthood is the chiefe for a Bishop and a priest make but one order as Bellarmin confesseth cap. 11. But to none of all these orders it is proper to preach for seeing it is not proper to the priest none of the inferior orders can challenge it See then what goodly orders these are which leaue the very chiefe parte of the ministery vndone which is the preaching of the word I thinke their meaning is that this preaching is not so necessary a dutie but may be well spared in the Church 2 That which a man is bound to doe vnder paine of the curse of GOD that he may lawfully performe in due order without the leaue of men but a woe is layd vpon them that preach not the Gospell where they are bound 1. Cor. 9.16 Ergo. Argum. Wicliffi 3 A man is bound to giue corporal almes to the poore the needie the hungry the thirstie neither is he to craue leaue of any Ergo much more to teach the ignorant to comfort the weake and doe other dueties appertayning to his charge Argum. Wicliffi Concerning the power of giuing orders As Saint Paul speaketh of the laying on of his handes 2. Timoth. 1.6 so he maketh mention of imposition of hands by the Eldership 1. Timoth 4.14 And the Rhemists vpō that place mislike not the practise of the Church that their Priests doe lay on their handes together with the Bishop vpon his head that is to be ordayned So that by this it is manifest that imposition of hands doth not wholly and folie belong vnto the Bishop seeing the rest of the Elders were wont to lay on their hands likewise or the Bishop in the name of the rest Fulk annot Tit. 1. sect 2. So that the Elders were not excluded THE THIRD PART CONCERNING THE office and title of Cardinals The Papists BEllarmine would faine haue the office of Cardinals as ancient as the Apostles error 72 times and the name to be worthilie appropriated to the See of Rome that as the Pope himselfe by his prudence and holines is tanquam cardo Ecclesiae to the Church as the hingell to the dore vpon the which it is turned and borne vp so his Counsellers and assistants should be called Cardinals hauing the care of the Vniuersall Church but the Iesuite beside some vaine shew of mothworne antiquitie hath not one good argument to proue the name and office of Cardinals to be either ancient or commendable Then especiall office as they are Cardinals is to elect and chuse the Pope and to be assistant vnto him in Counsell for the gouernement of the vniuersall Church Bellarm. cap. 16. The Protestants THat neither the name of Cardinals as proper to Rome is ancient nor their office or either of them lawfull or commendable but vsurped and Antichristian thus briefely it is shewed 1 In Augustines time it was a common name vsually applied both in the good and euill parte to chiefe and principall men of any place or sect as he calleth the ringleaders of the Donatists Cardinales Donatistas Cardinall or captaine Donatists de baptism lib. 1. cap. 6. Surely if it then had been onely due to the assistants of the Romane Bishop Augustine had been much to blame to applie the name to Heretikes 2 Augustine thus writeth to Hierome Quamues secundum honorum vocabula saith hee Episcopatus presbyterio maior sit tamen in multis rebus Augustin Hieronim minor est Though according to the custome of the Church a Bishop be greater then a Priest yet Augustine a Bishop in many things is inferior to Hierome a Priest Now Hierome was a Priest of Rome and a Cardinall as our aduersaries say and therefore they picture him commonly in a red gowne and habite of a Cardinall yet you see Augustine as a Bishop was before him though for his great learning he putteth himselfe behinde him 3 Augustine in another place complaineth of one Falcidius a Deacon of Rome qui duce stultitia saith hee diaconos presbyteris coaequare contendit who being led or carried away with follie did goe about to make Deacons equall vnto Priests Is not the same follie now generally practised in Rome or a greater for they doe not onely preferre Cardinall Deacons before Priests but euen before Bishops and Archbishops in Augustines time this was counted a great follie 4 Concerning the office of Cardinals in the electing of the Pope we haue shewed before quest 2. part 2. that it is of no great antiquitie and that it is iniurious to three estates to the Emperor who was wont to cōfirme the election to the Clergie of Rome who had in times past interest in the election and to the people whose consent was also in time past required But now all these are excluded and the matter is wholly referred to the Chapter of Cardinals THE FOVRTH QVESTION CONCERNING the Keyes of the Church committed for the execution to the pastors and gouernors thereof THis question hath foure partes First wherein the authoritie of the keyes consisteth secondly to whom they are committed thirdly whether there is absolute power of binding and loosing in the Church or ministerially onely fourthly
to make vowes Secondly in what things lawful vowes consist Thirdly whether voluntary vowes are any part of the worship of God 4 Concerning Monasticall vowes in particular three partes First of the vow of voluntary pouertie Secondly the vow of obedience Thirdly the vow of continencie 5 Concerning Monasticall persons First whether the younger sorte ought to be admitted to professe Monkerie Secondly whether children can professe without consent of their parents Thirdly whether maried persons may with mutuall consent Fourthly whether either of the parties the mariage not consummate may enter into profession 6 Concerning the rules and discipline of Monasticall life First of their solitarie and seuere kinde of life Secondly of their canonical houres Thirdly their habite and apparell Fourthly of their maintenance whether they ought to liue by begging or labour of their handes of these in order THE FIRST QVESTION OF THE BEGINning and originall of Monkes and of their diuers sects THis question hath tow partes First of their originall Secondly of the diuersitie of their sects THE FIRST PART OF THE ORIGInall of Monkes The Papists error 82 THey make this profession to be as ancient as the time of our Sauiour Christ and prooue the beginning thereof both out of the newe and olde Testament 1 Helias and Helizaeus were Eremites and liued without wiues neither possessed any riches Ergo this profession of life is most ancient Bellarm. cap. 5. Rhemist annot in Mark 9.3 Answere First the argument followeth not they had no wiues nor riches Ergo were Eremites for euen amongst the papists themselues many were kept from wiues as their priests and yet were neither Monkes nor Eremites Secondly though we reade not that Helisaeus was married yet the sonnes of the prophets were that liued as it were in the same Colledge with him 2. King 4.1 which Bellarmine maketh a Colledge of Monkes and Eremites and sayth very vntruely that they all liued without wiues cap. 5. Thirdly though Elias and Elisaeus were sometime in the wildernes yet they alwayes remained not neither liued there Fulk annot Mark 9.3 2 Iohn Baptist a perfect patterne of Eremitical life for liuing in the desert and wildernes for his rough apparell for abstaining from all delicate meate Rhemist annot Math. 3.1 Answere First Iohn Baptists calling was singular and extraordinary and therefore cannot be made an author of any ordinary profession Secondly wee denie not but his life was austere and that he made his abode in a solitarie place yet there were houses and villages not farre off his apparell also was course cloth made of the hard haires of Camels his foode was of locusts and wilde honie the vsuall and common meate of that countrey he was an extraordinary preacher of repentance and shewed in him selfe an example of austere life as it became the forerunner of Christ But being no minister of the Gospel but the last prophet of the law he cannot be a patterne of an ordinary profession vnder the Gospel Fulk annot Matth. 3. sect 1. 3 Nay Bellarm. fetcheth his monkish order from a more ancient beginning thē from Elias Iohn Baptist yea from before the flood for Enos saith he seemeth to haue brought in some stricter kinde of life and peculiar maner of worshipping God whereas the text sayth that he began to call vpon the name of God that is after another manner for Adam Seth Abel before this time called vpon the name of God cap. 5. Answere First who would haue thought that there had been Monks and Eremites before the flood if the Iesuite had not sayd it or that this text which he alleadgeth could haue proued it The argument followeth not Enos brought in a peculiar worship of God therefore was founder of the Eremiticall life for he brought in the true worship of God but the other is superstitious and erronious Secondly Tremellius readeth more agreeably to the Hebrue Tum nomē Dei coeptum est inuocando profanari then the name of God began to be prophaned in calling vpon that is his worship began to be corrupted for the Hebrue word signifieth both to inuocate and call vpon God as also to corrupt pollute or prophane Thirdly if we read as they doe The name of God beganne to be called vpon it onely sheweth a restoring and renewing of the true worship of God which was polluted by the posteritie of Cain whose stocke and familie is set downe in that chapter Gen. 4. The Protestants WE see then that this Monasticall and solitarie kinde of life hath no proofe nor ground out of the scriptures either by precept or example Nay this kinde of profession was not knowen in the Church for diuers hundred yeeres after Christ how could then the Apostles be the founders of this order And though the name of Monks be of some antiquitie in the Church yet they were farre vnlike vnto Popish Monkes that for these many yeres haue pestered the Church 1 It is certaine as Hierome witnesseth that Antonius and his disciples Amathas and Macarius were the first beginners of Monkish profession three hundred yeere after Christ Centur. 4. cap. 6. Fulk annot Mark 9.3 2 The beginning of Monkes was not for the more merite and to doe penance for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the worlde for Antonius the first Monk confessed that Christ onely suffered for the sinnes of the world but the first occasion was giuen in the time of persecution when as men were not suffered to worship God aright publikely and therefore they fled into the wildernes Rhemist Math. 3. sect 3. But now seeing the Christian fayth is openly professed they haue no such causes to seeke solitarie and secret places 3 The popish Monkes are altogether vnlike theirs First they liued in solitarie places farre from resorte of people but the popish Mock-monkes liue in Cities and the frequencie of the people Fulk annot Math. 3. sect 3. Secondly the Monkes in times past laboured with their hands but the popish fatbellies pampered themselues in idlenes Thirdly they are altogether vnlike in life and doctrine as wee shall see more at large afterward Fulk ibid. THE SECOND PART CONCERNING the diuers sects of Monkes and Friers The Papists error 83 THey say that imitation of diuers holy men as of Saint Francis Saint Benet Saint Dominick which hath brought in diuers sects and orders of Religious men doe tend all to the imitation of Christ Rhemist annot Philip. cap. 3. sect 2.1 Thess. 1.2 This their assertion they would ground vpon the Apostles wordes Philip. 3.17 Be ye followers of me brethren Rhemist Answere First Saint Paul would haue them no otherwise to follow him then he did Christ 1. Cor. 11.1 Neither gaue any other rules to his followers then he had learned of Christ as the patrons of the Monkish sects haue done Secondly Neither did Saint Paul erect a new order of Paulians as Franciscus did of Franciscanes Dominick of Dominicans Thirdly Saint Paul was a perswader of vnitie not a maker of
Bellarm. They did it by an extraordinarie authoritie not as Kings but as Prophets Nay it was an ordinarie power for all the good kings of Iuda beside as Iehosaphat Hezekiah and others did take care of religion this was so properly annexed to the kingly office that idolatrous kings also tooke vpon them to command false religion as Ieroboam set vp two golden calues and Ahaz king of Iudah cōmanded Vriah the high Priest to make an Altar according to the patterne which he sent from Damascus 2. King 16.11 This power also was afterward exercised by Christian Kings and Emperours as Constantinus Theodosius Martianus made lawes for the Church Fulk annot 1. Cor. 14. sect 16. Iustinianus the Emperour decreed many things concerning Church affayres as how excommunication should be vsed how Bishops and Priests should be ordained concerning the order and manner of funerals that the holy mysteries should not be done in priuate houses Carolus magnus decreed that onely the Canonical bookes of scripture should be read in the Church he chargeth all Bishops and priests to preach the word Lodouicus Pius his sonne and Emperour after him ordained that no entrie should bee made into the Church by Simonie that Bishops should bee chosen by the free election of the Clergie and the people All these Emperours did lawfully exercise their princely authoritie in Ecclesiastical matters Ergo other princes may doe the same still 3 Augustine saith Epistol 50. Quis mente sobrius c Who in his right wits would say to the King It pertaineth not to you who in your kingdome is religious or sacrilegious to whom it cannot be said let it not pertaine vnto you who in your kingdome will be chast or vnchast And in another place Ad fratres in erem serm 14. Tunc iustitia dicitur gladius ex vtraque parte acutus quia hominis defendit corpus ab exterioribus iniurijs animam à spiritualibus molestijs Then iustice is rightly called a sword with a double edge because it doth both defend the bodie from externall and corporall wrongs and the soule from spirituall vexation That is the sword of the Magistrate serueth as well to prune the Church and to cut off all errors and heresies in religion as to destroy the vices and corruptions in manners AN APPENDIX OR FOVRTH PART OF THE QVEstion whether the Prince in any good sense may be called the head of his kingdome and consequently of the Church in his kingdome The Papists THey do appropriate this title to be called heads of the vniuersall Church to error 101 the Pope of Rome most blasphemouslie for there can be no head of the vniuersal bodie but Christ But for Princes to be called the head that is chiefe gouernours of the Churches in their kingdomes they do abhorre it Whereupon Bellarmine is so saucie as to checke and controule King Henrie the 8. because he was called the head of the English Church 1 The heathen Emperours were not heads of the Church being not so much as members thereof therefore neither Christian Magistrates which doe succeede them in that authoritie Rhemist annot 1. Pet. 2. sect 6. Ans. 1. The argument followeth not they were no true mēbers of the Church therefore could not be heads that is haue the soueraigntie of the externall gouernment for wicked kings and princes doe keepe their magistracie gouernment still who though they be not true members of the Catholike Church yet ought to be obeied as princes 2. Though the metaphorical name of head agreed not vnto them yet were they by Gods ordinance appointed to be heads gouernours of his people protectors of his Church should haue been if they had not abused their authoritie 3. Christian princes though they haue the same authoritie which they had yet now exercising the sword according to Gods law and being Nurses of the Church may vse and retaine those princely titles in deed to be called Patrones and defenders of the faith head that is chiefe gouernours and protectors of the Church which by right had been due vnto the other if they had vsed their authoritie as they should 2 Christian princes are members of the Church Ergo not heads for if they were heads how could the Church stand without them as it did in the time of persecution Ans. First as though the head is not a member and part of the bodie though a principall one so the Prince is a member of the Church but a principall and chiefe member not of the inuisible Church for so Christ is onely head but of a particular visible Church Secondly we denie not but that the inuisible and spiritual Church may consist without the Magistrate but a visible flourishing and wel-gouerned Church cannot want a head or chiefe gouernour that is as a wall or hedge vnto it The Protestants TO bee head of the vniuersall Church is proper onely to Christ and in that sense is not communicable to any creature for he is to his Church as the head to the naturall bodie giuing vnto it influence of grace spirit and life he is therefore the onely mysticall head of the vniuersal Church But in another sense the Prince may be said to be the head and chiefe gouernour of his kingdome of that particular visible Church where he is king We make him neither the mysticall head which is only Christ farre be that blasphemie from vs nor a ministerial head as they make the Pope to be as Christs Vicegerent in the Church but a politicall head to keepe and preserue the peace of the Church and to see that euery member doe his office and duetie But this name we confesse is vnproperly giuen to the Prince neither were we the first inuentors of it for the papists first gaue it to Henry the 8. And there are other titles which doe sufficiently expresse the office of the Prince and may bee more safely vsed If any man thinke it too high a name for any mortall man and so not to be giuen to any we will not greatly contend about it But if any denye it to the Prince as thereby to abridge her of her power in Ecclesiastical matters we doe stand stiffely for it and are bold to affirme that with much better right is this title attributed to the ciuill Magistrate then it was to the Pope yea and that it hath been of old giuen in a modest and sober sense to Kings and Princes and may with a fauourable exposition be still and Princes also may receiue this honour and title at their subiects hands with protestation of their Christian meaning herein 1 This phrase for the King to be called the head is not vnusuall in scripture 1. Sam. 15.17 Saul is sayd to be the head of the tribes Psal. 18.43 Dauid the head of the nations Isay. 9.15 The Prince or honourable man the head of the people yea Princes are called Gods Psal. 82.2 which is a name of greater Soueraigntie then to be called heads
First that they doe not onely signifie but exhibite and represent vnto vs after a liuely manner the spirituall things which are signified Secondly they must haue the institution perpetuall commandement of Christ. Thirdly the sacraments of the new law must succeede in the place of the olde Hereupon we will inferre that there are but two sacraments in the new Testament Baptisme and the Lords Supper Argum. 1. These two alone are not onely signes of heauenly things but seales and pledges vnto vs thereof whereby our fayth is strengthened and our hope confirmed in the promises of God as the remission of sinnes is represented in Baptisme Act. 2.38 the death of Christ shewed foorth in the Eucharist 1. Corinth 11.26 The like commendation is not giuen of any other of their sacraments Argum. 2. Christ onely commaunded these two sacraments to bee vsed for euer in his Church to such spirituall purposes as Baptisme is instituted and commaunded Math. 28.19 the Lords Supper likewise Math. 26. Many other ceremonies Christ vsed himselfe as lifting vp of hands the tempering of clay and spittle his Apostles imposition of hands and anoynting with oyle But he hath not layd his commaundement vpon these ceremonies enioyning vs perpetually to keepe them as he hath charged vs with the other two Argum. 3. The sacraments of the newe Testament succeede in the roume of them of the olde Baptisme standeth in stead of Circumcision the Lordes Supper is come in place of the Paschal Lambe But they cannot shew what old sacraments those fiue other newly inuented confirmation orders penance matrimony extreame vnction doe succeede and supplie Ergo they are none And beside if all these should be sacraments and so seuen in all we should haue more in number then the Iewes had which is not to bee admitted for they had but two ordinary sacraments Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe two extraordinarie as their baptisme in the red sea and the clowde and their eating of the Manna and drinking of the rocke 1. Corin. 10.2.3 So they should haue but foure sacraments for your seuen Other legall rites ceremonies and sacrifices they had and many typical shadowes and significations but no more sacraments then we haue heard Augustine yeeldeth to haue no more sacraments then onely two As Eua was made out of Adams side as hee was asleepe Sic ex latere domini dormientis in cruce manauerunt sacramenta ex quibus formaretur ecclesia So out of the Lordes side sleeping vpon the crosse the sacraments of the Church issued that is water and blood by the which he vnderstandeth the two sacraments THE SECOND PART OF THE order and degree of the sacraments among them selues The Papists error 97 IF any man shall say that these seuen sacraments are of equall dignitie and not one in some respect to be preferred before the other let him be accursed Concil Trident. sess 7. can 3. In diuers respects one sacrament may excell another as Baptisme excelleth the rest because of remission of sinnes thereby effected or as we say represented Orders excell in respect of the minister because they are onely say they conferred by a Bishop Matrimony excelleth in respect of the signification the coniunction of Christ and his Church But simply the Eucharist exceedeth all because of the substance of the sacrament the reall and bodily presence of Christ. Bellarm. lib. 2. cap. 28. Answer First that Baptisme and the Eucharist exceede all the other we do easily admit for we holde them to be no sacraments and therefore we stand not vpon their seuerall priuiledges Secondly neither Baptisme is more excellent then the Lords Supper because it representeth the remission of sinnes for that also is insinuated in the other for how can we shew foorth the Lords death which is done in that sacrament vnlesse we call to minde the benefits purchased by his death as remission of sinnes Neither doth the Eucharist goe beyond Baptisme in regard of a more full presence of Christ for he is not otherwise present in one sacrament then in the other presenting himselfe in both spiritually to be apprehended of the worthy receiuer as for that carnal and grosse presence of the body of Christ in the sacrament we acknowledge none as afterward it shall more fully appeare when wee come in order to that question Augustine sheweth that Christ is no otherwise present in the Eucharist then in the preaching of the word for the manner of his presence Eucharistia panis noster quotidianus est quod vobis tracto panis quotidianus est quod in ecclesia lectiones quotidie auditis panis quotidianus est the Eucharist or sacrament of thankesgiuing is our dayly bread that which I handle and preach to you is our daylie bread that which you heare read daylie in the Church is our daylie bread If Christ then be no more really present in the sacrament then in the worde what is become of the preeminence that the one sacrament in that respect should haue aboue the other The Protestants THat the one sacrament should be so much extolled aboue the other namely the Lords Supper to be preferred before Baptisme as the more worthy and excellent sacrament we finde no such thing in the word of God but that both of them are of like dignitie in themselues and to be had equally and indifferently in most high accompt thus it is prooued Argum. 1 They are both commaunded and instituted by the same authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ neither is one by the first institution aduanced aboue the other Secondly there is the same matter and substance of both sacraments Christ Iesus with all his benefites Thirdly one and the same end of them both which is the increase and strengthening of our fayth in the promises of God Ergo they are both of equall dignitie and worthynes Let them say now which is the more worthy thing Baptisme or the word preached no doubt they will preferre Baptisme for they holde that the sacraments doe giue grace by the worke wrought and so doth not the worde yea they are offended because we say that the sacraments are no otherwaies instruments of our iustification then the word preached is but that the one worketh by the hearing the other by the senses of seeing handling tasting but they all serue to one end namely to beget and increase fayth in vs. This our assertion they vtterly mislike Bellarm. lib. 2. de sacram cap. 2. Whereby it appeareth that they preferre Baptisme before the word We then thus reason out of Augustine He thus writeth Dicite mihi quid plus videtur vobis verbum dei an corpus Christi respondere debetis quod non sit minus verbum dei Tell me which is the chiefer in your opinion the word of God or the body of Christ that is the sacrament of his body ye must answere that the word of God is not inferior Homil. 26. Hence we frame this argument The word of God is equiualent to
Confirmation And thus they preferre their owne inuentions before the ordinance of God no Sacrament before a Sacrament Augustine sheweth what the Sacrament of Vnction is Vnctionis sacramentum est virtus ipsa inuisibilis vnctio inuisibilis spiritus sanctus The sacrament of vnction is the inuisible vertue the inuisible anointing the holy spirite What is become now of your sacrament of vnction THE FOVRTH PART OF THE RITES and ceremonies of Confirmation The Papistes THe ceremonies which they commonly vse in Confirmation are these First error 47 the Bishop must breathe vpon the pot or cruze of Chrisme Seōcdly he saluteth it in these words Aue sanctum Chrisma Haile holy Chrisme Thirdly he giueth a kisse Fourthly he striketh him that is cōfirmed with his hand to teach him patience Fiftly his forehead is bound about least the Chrisme should run downe which teacheth him not to lose the grace of God Sixtly seuen daies together he must neither wash his head nor face And these with such like ridiculous toyes are practised amongst them Bellarm. cap. 13. lib. de confirmat The Protestants 1. SOme of these ceremonies we condemne as ridiculous as the breathing vpon the oyle the striking of the party confirmed which light gestures become not the grauity of the Ministers of the Gospell all things should be done in the Church in decent and comely order 1. Cor. 14.40 Secondly one of them is meerely Idolatrous to salute the oyle as the Angel saluted Mary to say Aue All haile vnto it making an Idoll of it being a thing without sense or life Thirdly all of them are superstitious hauing mysticall and typicall significations and shadowes which agreeth not with the nature of the Gospel for all shadows are now past the body being come Col. 2.17 Lastly they are superfluous cumbersome and burdenous as Augustine saith Ipsam religionem quam Deus paucissimis sacramentis liberam esse voluit onerib premunt They oppresse religion with the burden of ceremonies which God hath left free in few sacramēts Againe who seeth not how thus by their own traditions they doe euacuate the ordinance of God for in stead of catechizing and instructing of the youth in the principles and foundation of religion as of repentance from dead workes faith toward God of the resurrection and eternall iudgement Hebre. 6.2.3 they haue brought in nothing else but oyling greazing annointing of them breathing vpon them crossing and such like and whereas S. Paul giueth Parents a charge to bring vp their Children in the instruction of God Ephes. 6.4 They bid them bring their Children to be anointed crossed chrismated as they call it and they haue done enough THE SECOND QVESTION of Orders THe seuerall partes of this question are these First whether it be a Sacramēt Secondly of the efficacie and vertue thereof Thirdly of the ceremonies THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE receiuing of orders be a Sacrament The Papists THat holy Orders are a sacrament rightly and properly so called it was decreed in the Tridentine Councell sess 23. canon 3. And that not onely the error 48 three higher degrees of Priesthood Deaconship subdeaconship but the foure inferiour orders of Exorcistae Acoluthi Lectores Ostiarij doe belong vnto the same sacrament of Orders and are sacraments as well as the other Bellarm cap. 8. lib. de sacram ordinis Argum. 1. Timoth. 4.14 Despise not that gift which was giuen thee through prophesie with the laying on of hands Holy orders giue grace by an externall ceremonie and worke Ergo it is a Sacrament Rhemist in hunc locum Ans. 1. It cannot be proued out of this place that imposition of hands giueth grace for this was an extraordinary gift which S. Paul speaketh of and doth not alwaies follow imposition of hands Secondly this gift was not giuen by the very ceremony of imposition of hands but through prophesie and reuelation of the holy Ghost for it was reuealed vnto the Church by the spirite of prophecie that Timothie was a chosen vessell of God therefore S. Paul saith That worthie thing which is committed vnto thee keepe through the holy Ghost 2. Tim. 1.14 The holy ghost was both the conferrer of that grace and the preseruer of it Imposition thē of hands was but an outward signe of the presence of Gods spirit vpon those that were lawfully ordeined for al vpon whom hands were laid receiued not the holy ghost but such only as were appointed of God And therefore the Apostle chargeth Timothie to lay hands sodenly on no man 1. Timoth. 5.22 which caueat was not needfull if vpon whomsoeuer he had laid his hands they should immediately receiue the holy Ghost The Protestants YOur seuen popish orders we do not at all receiue into the church much lesse can we abide that they should be sacraments The lawfull ordeining of Pastors teachers and Deacons we doe acknowledge but no sacrificing Priesthoode nor no ministring Deaconship at the Altar such orders as we haue notwithstanding we doe not take to be Sacraments much lesse yours that are vtterly to be abolished Argum. 1. Sacraments must haue their institution from Christ so haue not your orders for Christ instituted onely Apostles and Disciples Presbyters and Deacons were founded by the Apostles who notwithstāding had no commission to constitute new Sacraments As for the other fiue orders of Subdeacons Readers Acoluthi Exorcistes doore keepers they are neither read in Scripture nor ordeined of the Apostles nor heard of for many yeeres after Secondly your Sacrament hath neither outward element nor word of institution if you say laying on of hands is the externall signe we answere that the visible signe in a Sacrament must not onely be an externall action but a materiall element as water in Baptisme and bread and wine in the Lords Supper The forme you say is in these wordes pronounced by the Bishop Accipite potestatem offerendi sacrificium Receiue ye power to offer sacrifice Bellarm. ca. 9. We answere againe that this sacrificing office hath no foundation in Scripture the Ministers of the Gospell are called dispensers of Gods Mysteries namely of the word and Sacraments 1. Corinth 4.1 Ministers for Christ not sacrificers of Christ wherefore neither haue ye any word of institution and consequently no Sacrament And I pray you tell me if you will make euery one of your orders a Sacrament then must you needes haue as many Sacraments as there are orders and so shall you haue sixe Sacraments more then you thought for you doe distinguish all the orders in office and forme of consecration one from another and therefore they cannot all make one Sacrament Augustine saith Christus Sacramentis numer◠paucissimis societatem populi colligauit Christ hath ioyned together his people with most fewe Sacraments and then he nameth Baptisme and the Communion Et si quid aliud in Scripturis canonicis commendatur and if any other be commended in Scripture Ergo there is no Sacrament of orders because it is not found in
Scripture as we haue said OF THE EFFICACIE WHICH THEY ascribe to this sacrament The Papists THis sacrament of Orders as they cal it giueth a double grace First it giueth error 49 those that are ordayned abilitie and power to execute their office which is to consecrate and offer vp the body and blood of Christ wherein chiefly the priesthood consisteth and not in preaching the worde for they may be priests though they preach not Concil Trident. sess 23. can 1. By holy orders then the holy Ghost is actually bestowed when those wordes are pronounced Accipâ— spiritum sanctum receiue yee the holy Ghost Canon 4. The Protestants FIrst the Gospell alloweth no externall sacrificing priesthood but a spirituall onely whereby euery Christian is made a king and priest to offer spirituall sacrifices of prayse and thankesgiuing vnto God Apocal. 1.6 And the onely essentiall parte of the office of Ministers vnder the Gospell is to be able dispensers of the mysteries of the word and sacraments 1. Corint 4.1 2. Corinth 3.6 So Augustine also sayth Quicunque aut Episcopus aut presbyter frequenter de Deo loquitur quomodo ad vitam aeternam perueniatur annuntiat meritò Angelus Dei dicitur Whosoeuer Bishop or presbyter doth speake freely of God and preacheth the way to eternall life is an Angel of God This then is the onely principall office of true Pastors to teaâ—h the way to the kingdome of God Secondly it is also a great vntrueth that the holy Ghost is straightway giuen to all those vpon whomsoeuer hands are layd and they admitted to Orders For what neede then that triall and examination which ought to bee had of those which are to be ordayned whereof Saint Paul speaketh 1. Timoth. 5.22 if the only laying on of hands can make able Ministers Nostri sacerdotes sayth one super multos quotidie nomen Domini verba benedictionis imponunt sed in paucis effectus est Our priests doe lay the word of blessing vpon many calling vpoÌ„ the name of God but in few followeth any effect of that blessing And he giueth the reason in another place Dei est effectum tribuere benedictionis It belongeth vnto God to giue effect to Priestly blessing Ergo it is not by onely act and vsing of the ceremony bestowed The Papists AN other effect of their sacrament of orders they say is to imprint a certaine error 50 indeleble marke character in him that is ordayned which can neither by sinne Apostasie or heresie bee blotted out Rhemist 2. Corinth 1. sect 7. And therefore a priest once ordayned can neuer lose his orders or become a lay man agayne Concil Trident. sess 24. can 4. Bellarmin cap. 10. The Protestants FIrst the practise of the popish Church is contrary to their owne rules for I would haue them tell me whether they tooke not the priesthood and anoynting from Iohn Husse when with a payre of sheares they clipped off the skin of his head most cruelly as they were busie in disgrading of him in the Councel of Constance Or when they had grosly abused that reuerend father Bishop Cranmer and vnmanerly behaued themselues in his degradation and clapt him in a poore beggerly thread-bare Lay mans gowne did they not thinke that they had dispoyled him of his priesthood What is now become masters of your indeleble character Or is it your meaning that it may bee clipped or scraped off onely but not washt off or lightly rubbed away Your owne cruell deedes doe ouerthrow your popish principles Augustine is agaynst you Constitutum est in ecclesia ne quisquam post criminis alicuius poenitentiam clericatum accipiat ad clericatum redeat aut in clericatu maneat It is a constitution of the Church that no man after publike penance done for some notorious crime should be either made a clerke or returne to his clerkship or priesthood or bee suffered to continue therein If his priesthood were neither restored to him nor hee suffered to remaine therein then surely he had lost his priesthood THE THIRD PART OF THE ceremonies The Papists error 51 THey doe anoynt the handes of such as are ordayned with oyle and doe enioyne them to shaue their crownes And the higher degree of priesthoode they haue so much broader must their shauen crowne bee Tileman Heshus loc 14. Err. 5. Bellarm. cap. 12. The Protestants WE haue the same opinion of these ceremonies as we haue of the popish orders themselues counting them worthy of no place in the Church of God As for the superstitious custome of anoynting it is a Iewish rite better beseeming Aarons order then the Ministers of Iesus Christ Looke howe hee was anoynted so are wee of him it is sayde The spirite of the Lord is vpon mee because hee hath anoynted mee Luk. 4.18 So the inward working of the spirite is our anoynting 1. Iohn 2.27 Agayne in diuers places of the scripture wee reade of ordayning by imposition of handes Act. 13.3 1. Timoth. 4.14 5.22 2. Timoth. 1.6 But there is no mention at all made of anoynting with oyle And as for the shauing of the crowne it it is worse then a Iewish ceremonie for it seemeth to haue taken beginning from the heathen and the Iewes were forbidden to cutte or make balde their heads Deuteronom 14.1 Leuit. 19.28 In so much as it was a signe of more holines amongst them not to suffer the rasor to come vpon their heads as it is to bee seene in the lawe of the Nazarites Numbers 6. The rest of the questions that concerne the calling of ministers wee haue entreated of more at large Controuers 5. of Ecclesiasticall persons THE THIRD QVESTION OF EXTREME VNCtion First whether it bee a sacrament Secondly of the efficacie Thirdly of the ceremonies THE FIRST PART WHETHER EXtreme Vnction be a sacrament The Papists THat extreme Vnction is rightly and properly a sacrament which is error 52 say they the anoynting of those that are extreme sicke to assure them of remission of their sinnes it was concluded in the Chapter of Trent sess 14. can 1. and is generally maintained by the Church of Rome Bellarmin cap. 2. Argum. Iam. 5.14 The sacrament of extreme Vnction in this place is playnely promulgated by the Apostle being instituted before by our Sauiour Christ Mark 6.13 For here is remission of sinnes promised to the outward element that is the anoynting of the sicke with oyle Ergo a sacrament Rhemist Ans. 1. This anoynting of oyle was a signe onely of the miraculous gift of healing that was then in the Church and therefore was no longer to continue then the gift it self But it is not like will they say that euery one of the Elders had this miraculous gift of healing Answer Though euery particular Elder perhaps had it not yet the whole company of the Eldership might haue it as Saint Paul speaketh of the gift of prophesie giuen to the Eldership 1. Timoth. 4.14 And it is not like that the Apostle
was the duetie of Angels to worship him Ergo hee merited not his glorification by his death which was due vnto him euen at his first incarnation Argum. 3. If Christ merited his owne glorification then hee also merited the hypostaticall vnion that his manhood should bee ioyned to his Godhead in vnitie of person for his glory maiestie and power giuen to his manhood doth issue and arise from the vniting of his Godhead therewith in one person but his humanity deserued not to be vnited to the Godhead Nemo tam caecus est sayth Augustine No man is so blind that he dare say that Christ by his well liuing merited to be called the Sonne of God And hee prooueth it out of the first of Luk. vers 35. Therefore shall that holy thing bee called the Sonne of God not for any workes going before but because the holy Ghost came vpon her Wherefore the diuine glorie which Christ hath was not merited but his owne it was from the beginning which glory the humane nature in Christ is made partaker of not for any merite but because it is vnited to the Godhead in the same person through the abundant and vnspeakable grace and loue of God vnto mankinde which of his free grace rather tooke vnto himselfe the nature of men then of Angels Wherefore Christ by his perfect obedience and blessed sacrifice hath merited abundantly for vs remission of sinnes and eternall life but by his merites he hath gayned nothing for himselfe neither had he any respect to the bettering of his own estate in his sufferings but onely to pay a raunsome for vs. THE TWENTIETH GENERALL CONTROVERSIE CONCERNING THE COMMING OF CHRIST TO iudgement which appertaineth to his whole person as he is both God and man THis controuersie hath two partes First concerning the signes which must come to passe before his appearing Secondly of the time and maner of his appearing The first part contayneth three questions Frst whether the Gospell bee already preached to the whole world Secondly whether Henoch and Elias shall come in the flesh before the day of iudgement Thirdly of the great persecutions toward the end of the world THE FIRST QVESTION WHETHER the Gospel be already preached thorough the worlde The Papists error 106 THey denie that the Gospell hath beene already published to all nations of the worlde for there are many great countries which neuer heard of the Gospell as they affirme But before the comming of Christ to iudgement they say it shal be preached to the whole world Bellar. de Roman pâ—ntif lib. 3. cap. 4. Argum. 1. Math. 24.14 Christ sayth This Gospell of the kingdome shall be preached thorough the whole worlde for a witnes vnto all nations then shall the end come The end of the world shall immediately follow the generall preaching of the Gospell which if it hath been performed it is most like to haue been done in the Apostles time then the world should haue ended long agoe Bellarm. ibid. Ans. This word Then doth not alwaies in the scripture signifie a certaine and definite time presently to follow as Math. 9.1 Then he entred into a ship and so forth Luke also setteth foorth the same storie cap. 5.18 Then brought they a man lying in a bed But in saying Then they haue not relation to the same time for they keepe not the same order in rehearsing the storie Matthew setteth downe one thing that was immediatly done by our Sauiour Christ before and Luke another And so is the word Then vsed in other places not to describe a consequence of time with relation to that which went before but absolutely without any such respect to name the time present only wherein any thing is done So tunc then signifieth as much as in illo tempore in that time not which shall immediately follow vpon the generall publishing of the Gospel but which God hath appoynted We must also consider who it is that sayth Then namely God himselfe with whom a thousand yeares is as one day and one day as a thousand yeares Christ Then may come many hundred yeares after and yet it shall be true that then shall the end be But we rather take the first sense that Then is here taken indefinitely as it is thorough the whole chapter as vers 21. Then shall be great tribulation which cannot haue relation to that which he spake of before for then it must be vnderstoode of the destruction of Ierusalem but our Sauiour meaneth by Then the time towards the ende of the world as vers 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes the Sunne shal be darkened Then shall the signe of the Sonne of man appeare Argum. 2. We see the Gospel hath been preached in great countreyes of late which neuer heard the Gospel afore as it is thought Rhemist Math. 24. sect 4. Ans. 1. They speake doubtfully they cannot tell as it is thought say they 2. They meane the preaching of their Friers in those newe found countreyes which was not the preaching of the Gospel but of vile superstition not to conuert the people to God but to robbe and spoyle them and make a pray of them killing slaying them without al mercy reade Benzo in historia noui orbis 3. We deny not but that the Gospell may be reuiued and renued in many countreyes where notwithstanding it was planted many yeares afore As this countrie of ours in ancient time called Britanie was first instructed in the faith by the preaching of Ioseph of Arimathea as Gildas saith or as Nicephorus saith by SimoÌ„ Zelotes yet after that the foundation of the faith thus begun it was confirmed afterward in king Lucius daies by the preaching of Fagane Damiane which at Lucius request were sent into the land from Eleutherius B. of Rome and so may it come to passe in other countreyes a second preaching therefore taketh not away the former but confirmeth and reuiueth it The Protestants THat the Gospell was by the Apostles preached to all the knowen and inhabited nations of the worlde we cannot but affirme being so taught by the scriptures Argum. 1. Our Sauiour saith to his Apostles Ye shal be my witnesses to the vttermost partes of the earth Act. 1.8 which is spoken to the persons of the Apostles not in them to all Pastors and preachers as some expound it for in the same vers there is mention made of the comming of the holy Ghost and howe first they should begin to witnesse at Ierusalem which things were indeede so accomplished in the Apostles Saint Paul also Rom. 10.18 expoundeth that place of the Psalme Their sound is gone forth into all the worlde of the Apostles Agayne seeing the Apostolicall calling and gift is now ceased neither are we to looke that men should be immediatly called from heauen and the preaching of the Gospell to all nations is an Apostolicall worke for the which the Apostles also receiued the gifts of tongues seeing now we haue neither Apostolike
of them hold great scorne to be named Papists yet I see no reason why they should so doe The Rhemists like this name well enough because it is not deriued from any one man but from their Popes and chiefe Bishops to whom say they we are bound to cleaue in Religion and obey in all things So to be a Papist say they is to be a Christian man a child of the Church and a subiect to Christs Vicar Seeing then this name pleaseth their ghostly fathers of Rhemes so well there is no reason why they should mislike it and therefore we will vse it still as best expressing their profession who are pinned vpon the Popes sleeue for their faith and Religion As likewise the name of Protestants we refuse not which name I thinke tooke beginning in England in King Henry the eights daies when there was a generall protestation made in the name of the King the whole Councel and Clergie of England against the Pope In the which protestation thus we finde England hath taken her leaue of popish crafts for euer neuer to be deluded with them hereafter Romane Bishops haue nothing to doe with English people the one doth not traffique with the other at the least though they will haue to deale with vs we will none of their marchandise none of their stuffe Thus we see how a Papist and a Protestant are defined A Papist is he that cleaueth to the Pope in Religion and is obedient to him in all things A Protestant is he that professeth the Gospell of Iesus Christ and hath renounced the iurisdiction of the sea of Rome and the forced and vnnaturall obedience to the Pope These names therefore as best fitting both our professions seeing no cause to the contrary I purpose euery where to vse and retaine throughout this Treatise I would here finish and make an end of this Preface but that first I must make the Reader acquainted with the order and methode which I haue followed in setting downe the controuersies The whole bodie therefore of the controuersies betweene the Papists and vs our worthie and learned countriman D. Whitakers hath digested and disposed into a singular Methode the which I haue propounded to my selfe throughout this discourse to obserue The heresies and errours therefore of Poperie doe either impugne the offices of Christ with his benefites and merites or his person the most of them are of the first kinde some errours they maintaine against his person but not many First the name of Christ sheweth his offices for it signifieth annointed he was annointed to be our Prophet King and Priest Iesus betokeneth a Sauiour and setteth forth the benefites of our redemption and saluation First then of his offices and then of the benefites that do arise and spring thereof The first office of our Sauiour Christ is to be our heauenly teacher and Prophet His heauenly doctrine is conteined no where els but in the Scriptures The first generall controuersie then must be of the Scriptures where there arise many questions as of the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture of the vulgare translation of Scripture of the perspicuitie and plainenesse authoritie interpretation and perfection of Scripture with such other The second office of Christ is to be our King and because his kingdome is his Church here we are to handle the controuersies about the Church Which is either the Church Militant vpon earth or the Church Triumphant in heauen The Church militant is to be considered either in generall where these questions are moued what the Church is whether it be visible or not by what markes it is knowen whether it may erre what authoritie it hath Then the parts of the Church which are either assembled and gathered together as in generall Councels where these doubts must be discussed whether generall Councels be necessary by whom they ought to be summoned whether they can erre whether the Pope be aboue Councels or not and such like Or els the parts of the church are seuerally to be considered and they are of three sortes either the chiefe parts the middle and meane parts the lowest and basest parts of the Church The chiefe member they make to be the Pope where there are many questions and of great waight as whether the regiment of the Church be Monarchicall whether Peter were appointed head of the Church whether the Pope be Peters successour whether he may erre whether the Pope be Antichrist with such other The middle parts are their Clerkes which are either secular as they call them which haue any Ecclesiasticall function where we must enquire of their election degrees of their single life and such like the Regular Clerkes are their Monkes and other of that profession where we must entreat of vowes of their solitarie life their habite their Canonicall houres with other matters The lowest members are the lay men where the questions about the Ciuill Magistrate must be handled as whether he may put heretikes to death whether he haue any power and authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters and hetherto of the Militant Church The triumphant Church consisteth either of Angels or other Saints departed Concerning the Angels we dissent about the orders and degrees of them about their ministerie and office and whether they are to be prayed vnto Concerning the Saints departed there are many questions in controuersie as of Purgatory Lymbus Patrum whether they are to be praied vnto of their Reliques Images Temples Holie daies and such like The third office of Christ is his Priesthood whereof there are two parts his intercession where we must enquire whether Christ be the onely Mediatour of intercession and his Sacrifice where the maine and great controuersie concerning the Sacraments doth offer it selfe for by the Sacraments the power and efficacie of the death of Christ is deriued vnto vs. Here first we must entreate of the Sacraments in generall as of their number their efficacie the difference betweene the Sacraments of the olde and new Testament then in particular as of Baptisme and the seuerall questions thereto belonging of the Lords Supper where also the great controuersie about their Idolatrous sacrifice of the Masse and other necessary questions must be handled Then follow in order fiue other popish Sacraments to be considered of confirmation penaunce extreme vnction orders matrimony And these are the controuersies concerning the offices of Christ. The controuersies which concerne the benefits of our redemption with other seuerall questions are these as of predestination of sin of the law of free will of faith of good workes the particular questions are set forth at large in other places Lastly there remaine some questions about the person of Christ 〈◊〉 whether he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God of himselfe whether he encreased in wisedome whether he suffered in soule whether he merited for himselfe with such other Thus haue we the summe body of Antichristiā doctrine which we purpose by the grace of God to goe
third of Iohn the last Chapter of Marke We differ not then in the new Testament vnlesse it be concerning the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews which ouer aduersaries stoutly affirme to be S. Pauls which we deny not neither certainly can affirme it seeing in some Greeke copies it is left out and in the Syriacke translation But it mattereth not who was the author seeing we receiue it as canonicall for the title is no part of the booke and so neither of Scripture and we receiue many bookes in the old Testament the authors whereof are not perfectly knowne So then all the question is about the Apocrypha of the old Testamēt they are called Apocrypha because they are hid and obscure not because their authours are vnknowne for as I sayd we knowe not by whom certaine Canonical bookes were written neither are they so called because of some vntruthes conteined in them contrary to Scripture as the most of them haue for it foloweth not that euerie booke which hath no vntruth or lye should straight wayes be taken for Scripture but they are therfore iudged and called Apocrypha because they were not in former time receiued into publike and authentick authoritie in the Church neither to be alledged as grounds of our faith though they may be read for example of life and may haue other profitable vse But the Canonicall Scripture onely hath this priuiledge to geue rules of faith and thereupon it hath the name that we may be bold to beleeue and ground our faith vpon the canonicall holy Scripture which is the onely word of God Wherefore out of this number of Canonicall Scripture we exclude all the books afore named therfore let not the reader be deceiued that although they be ioyned in one volume with the Scripture to think that they are for that of the same authoritie and credit with the rest first we will shew one reason in general and afterward come vnto the particular books in order 1 All canonical scripture in the old Testament was written by Prophets we haue a sure word of the prophetes saith S. Peter 2.1.19 and S. Paule Rom. 16.26 calleth them the Scriptures of the Prophets But none of those bookes aforenamed of Tobias Iudith and the rest were written by the Prophets for they were all written since Malachies time who was the last Prophete as the Church complaineth Psal. 74.9 There is not one Prophete nor any that can tell vs how long Ergo none of these bookes are canonicall 2 All the canonicall bookes of the old Testament were acknowledged of the Iewes and Hebrues for they were then onely the Church of God and where should Scripture be found but in the Church to them sayth S. Paule were committed the oracles of God Rom. 3.2 But the Iewes receiued none of these books for none of them are written in the Hebrue toung neither did they receiue them with the like authoritie as other bookes of Scripture and this some of the Papists can not denie Ergo thy are not Canonicall 3 There is no Scripture of the old Testament but it hath approbation of the new for as the Prophetes beare witnesse to Christ so he againe doth witnesse for the Prophets and therefore it is a true proposition of Caietane though he be controlled and checked of Catharinus an other Papist for it that there is no Scripture which was not either written or approued by the Apostles but in the whole new Testament you shall not find one testimony cited either in the Gospel or the Epistles out of any of the Apocrypha as out of other bookes of Scripture therefore hauing no approbation of the new Testament we conclude they are none of the old 4 It shall appeare in the seuerall discourse of the particular bookes that there is somewhat euen in the bookes themselues to be found that barreth them from being Canonicall OF THE BOOKE OF BARVCH The Papistes THis is their best reason for the authoritie of this booke because Baruch was Ieremies scribe and therfore Baruch can not be refused vnlesse also we doubt of Ieremie Bellarm. lib. 1. de verbo Dei cap. 8. The Protestantes THis booke was neither written by Ieremie nor Baruch first because it is in Greeke if either Ieremie or Baruch had written it it is most like they would haue written in Hebrue Secondly the phrase and manner of speach sheweth that it was neuer written in Hebrue for in the 6. Chapter in the Epistle of Ieremie it is said that the Israelites should be in captiuitie seuen generations that is 70. yeares but it can not be found in any Hebrue booke that generation is taken for the space of 70. yeares OF THE SEVEN APOCRYPHAL Chapters of Esther The Papistes ONe of their chief Arguments besides testimonies and authorities which would make to great a Volume is this which is common also to the rest of the Apocrypha they are read in the Church haue bene of auncient time Ergo they are Canonicall I aunswere that it is no good argument Hierome saith plainly Legit Ecclesia sedeos inter Scripturas Canonicas non recipit Praefat. in lib. Solomon The Church indeede saith he readeth them yet for all that they are not Canonicall And Augustine was wōt to read vnto the people the Epistles of the Donatistes and his aunsweres vnto them Epist. 203. The Protestantes THe most of our reasons against the authoritie of the 7. Chapters added to Esther for of the 10 first Chapters which are found in the Hebrue we make no doubt at all are drawen from the matter of the booke it selfe 1 In the second of the Canonicall Esther ver 16. it is said that the conspiracie of the two Eunuches against the king was in the 7. yeare of Assuerus but in the 11. Chap. ver 2. of the Apocryphall Esther we read that Mardocheus did dreame of this conspiracie in the secōd yeare Bellarmine aunswereth that both are true for the dreame was in the secōd yeare the conspiracie in the seuēth so belike there was fiue yeares betweene But in the 11. Chapter it is said that Mardocheus was much troubled about that dreame and the next night after his dreame the conspiracie was enterprised 2 The true history of Esther saith that Mardocheus had no reward at that time of the king cap. 6.3 but the forged storie saith that at the same time the king gaue him great gifts which can not be meant of that great honor which afterward was bestowed vpon Mardoche for then Haman being hanged the same day could worke him no despite wheras the forged story saith that after the king had rewarded him then Haman began to stomach him because of those two Eunuches 3 Againe the storie which is added was written many yeares after Mardoches Esthers death vnder the raigne of Ptolomaeus Cleopatra as it appeareth cap. 11.1 it is not like therefore to be a true storie Bellarmins ridiculous cōiecture is this that there were two stories
the Apostles writings Secondly if there were other matters which Christ vttered not how foloweth it nay what great presumptiō is it to say that those trifles and apish toyes which the Papistes vse in their Idolatrous sacrifice and their other beggarly ceremonies which boyes may well laugh at are those profoūd matters which the Apostles were not then able to conceiue 3 That of all other they take to be an inuincible place 2. Thess. 2.15 keepe the instructions or traditions which ye haue bene taught either by word or by Epistle Ergo there are traditions besides scripture We aunswere when S. Paule wrote this Epistle all the scriptures were not writtē wherefore besides these two short Epistles which do not conteine the summe of the Gospell nor all necessarie preceptes he by his preaching supplied what was wanting and so declared vnto them the whole mysterie of the Gospell as he saith 1. Thess. 2.2 these he calleth his traditions because yet he had not written his other Epistles wherein those instructions and traditions are conteined This then is but a weake argument the Thessalonians had other instructiōs and traditions beside the two Epistles writtē vnto them Ergo they had other traditiōs beside all the writings of S. Paule and the other Apostles this is their mayne and waightie argument The Protestantes FIrst we graunt that all things are not written which our Sauiour Christ and the Apostles taught and that it was the Gospell which they preached as well as this which is written yet in substance they preached the same Gospell which now is expressed in the scripture neither was there any necessarie precept deliuered in their Sermons which is not now to be found in the scriptures Secondly we denie not but there were certaine rites and orders ordained by the Apostles in diuerse churches which were not cōmitted to writing because they were not to continue and endure for euer in the Church as that precept Act. 16. that the Gentiles should abstaine from strangled and from bloud Thirdly we also graunt that the Church may vse externall rites and orders either left by tradition or ordained by the Church for decencie and comelynesse and tending to edification But we constantly affirme that there are no traditions in the Church of God necessarie to saluation beside scripture wherein all things are conteined necessarie to saluation both concerning faith and manners 1 It is not lawfull as to take ought from the word of God so to adde any thing vnto it Deut. 12.32 Apocal. 22.18 But they which bring in traditiōs necessarie beside the scriptures do adde vnto them Ergo. To the proposition the Iesuite aunswereth that all addition to the word of God is not forbidden for the Prophets did write after Moses the Apostles after the Euangelistes We aunswere that those holy men had authoritie from God to compile scripture if the Papistes haue the like Apostolike authoritie for their traditions let them shew it and we will beleeue them Secondly the Prophetes did but explane Moses and expound the law and the Apostles did as it were set forth their Commentaries vpon the Gospell this therefore was no addition because they did not derogate from the perfection of the scriptures any way To the assumptiō they aunswere that their traditions are but expositiōs of Scripture We aunswere their traditions are cleane contrarie to Scripture as the worshipping of Images and the sacrifice of their Masse and they adde to Scripture making it vnperfect saying it doth not conteine all things necessarie to saluation Wherefore they can not escape that curse which they runne into that adde to the word of God 2 All traditions among the Iewes besides the law were condemned Math. 15.3 Ergo all vnwritten traditions now must be abolished The Iesuite aunswereth First Christ condemned not the auncient traditions of Moses but those which were newly and lately inuented Aunswere first the Scripture maketh no mention of any such traditions of Moses Christ biddeth them search the Scriptures not runne vnto traditions Secondly these seemed to be auncient traditions bearing the name of Elders traditions and they were in great authoritie amongest the Iewes most like because of some long continuance Secondly saith he Christ findeth fault with wicked and impious traditions Aunswere First their traditions were not openly and plainly euill and pernicious but had some shew of holynesse as the washing of pots and tables and beds I would the Papists did not here take thē selues by the nose whose traditions come nearer to open impietie and blasphemie then theirs did Secondly Christ in opposing the Scripture against traditions therein condemneth all traditions not written besides the Scripture 3 If Paule preaching the whole Gospell Act. 20.27 did say none other things then Moses and the Prophetes then all things necessarie to saluation are conteined in the Scriptures For it can not be said to be a whole and perfite Gospell if any thing necessarie to saluation be wanting But Paule preached nothing but out of Moses and the Prophetes Act. 26.22 Ergo much more now is the Scripture a perfect rule of faith we hauing beside Moses and the Prophetes the holy writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles 4 Last of all although we might multiplie many arguments but these I trust strongly concluding out of Scripture may serue as a sufficient bulwarke against all Popish paper bullets Let vs heare in the knitting vp the iudgement of Augustine In his rebus inquit in quib nihil certi statuit Scriptura mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda Epist. 86. In all those things saith he speaking of externall rules and ceremonies of the which we haue no certaine rule out of Scripture the custome of the people of God and the godly constitutions of our forefathers must stand for a law but concerning matters of faith and good maners the Scriptures do giue certaine rules as in another place In ijs quae aperte in Scriptura posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi De doctrin Christian. 2.9 all things appertaining to faith and the rule of life are plainlie expressed in the Scripture Ergo by the sentence of Augustine traditions besides scripture haue nothing to do with the doctrine of faith and manners but do consist onely in externall rites and customes of the Church THE SECOND GENERALL CONTROVERSIE CONCERNING THE CHVRCH HAuing now finished the questions betweene our aduersaries and vs concerning the Scriptures and word of God which all do belong to the Propheticall office of Christ in the next place such controuersies are to be handled as do concerne the Kingly office of Christ. And seeing the Church of Christ is his kingdome where he ruleth and raigneth we must intreat of the Church and first in generall of the whole and in speciall of the partes and members This present controuersie concerning the Church in generall standeth vpon fiue principall questions 1 Of the definition of the Catholike Church two partes
of the question First whether wicked men and infidels be true members of the Church Secondly whether the Catholike Church be inuisible 2 Whether the Catholike Church may erre and whether the visible Church may fayle vpon earth 3 Concerning the true notes and markes of the Church 4 Of the authoritie of the Church two partes First whether the Church haue authoritie in matters of faith beside the Scriptures and whether we ought to beleeue in the Church Secondly concerning the ceremonies of the Church 5 Whether the Church of Rome be the true Church two partes First whether it be the Catholike Church Secondly whether the Church of Rome be a true visible Church of these now in their place and order THE FIRST QVESTION OF THE definition of the Catholike Church The Papistes THe Catholike Church say they is a visible companie of men professing the same faith and Religion and acknowledging the Bishop of Rome to be their chief pastor and the Vicare of Christ vpon earth Bellarmin de Eccles. Lib. 3. cap. 2. Canisius capit de praecept Eccles. articul 9. Lindanus lib. 4. cap. 84. The Protestantes THe Catholike and vniuersall Church is the inuisible cōpanie of the faithfull elected and chosen to eternall life Iohn 10.16 A particular Church is a member of the vniuersall and Catholike Church and it is a visible companie and congregation of men amongest whom the pure word of God is preached and the Sacramentes rightly administred in the which visible congregation there may be and are many hypocrites euill and vnfaithfull men found and shal be to the end of the world Ex Amand. Polano So then betweene the vniuersall and particular Church there is a treble difference First the one is dispersed ouer all the world the other in some one country citie or any certaine place Secondly the vniuersall consisteth onely of the elect the particular both of good and bad Thirdly the Catholike is inuisible the other is visible and to be seene The question betweene vs and our aduersaries is about the vniuersall Catholike Church which they do falsly define in three points First they hold that wicked men are true members of the Catholike Church Secondly they allow not this distinctiō of the Church visible and inuisible but do affirme that the Catholike Church is visible Thirdly they make the Catholike Church to be in subiection to the Bishop of Rome Concerning this last point it belongeth to the controuersie of the Bishop of Rome and therefore we will not touch it in this place The other two are now to be handled in this question as two partes thereof THE FIRST PART OF THIS FIRST question whether wicked men and infidels may be true members of the Church The Papistes THey affirme that not onely the predestinate but euē reprobates also may belong vnto the Church and be true members thereof Bellarmin Lib. 3. de error 14 Eccles. cap. 7. Nay they denie that the elect which are vnborne and not yet called do appertaine to the Church of Christ. Rhemistes annot in 1. Tim. 3. Sect. 10. This then is generally their opinion that there is no internal grace or vertue required in the mēbers of the Church but onely the externall and publike outward profession Bellarmin cap. 2. And therefore they doubt not to say that euen wicked men and reprobates remaining in the publike profession of the Church are true members of the body of Christ. Rhemistes annot in Iohan. 15. Sect. 1. 1 They first alledge certaine places of Scripture as Math. 3. the Church is compared to a barne floore where there is both chaff and corne Math. 13. to a net cast into the sea where all manner of fish are gathered together 2. Tim. 2. to a house wherein there be vessels of honor and dishonor Ergo both good bad are members of the Church Bellarmin cap. 7. lib. 3. We aunswere All these places must be vnderstood of the visible Church which is knowen by the publike preaching of the word and therefore Math. 3. compared to a fanne and Math. 13. to a draw net the Apostles pastors and teachers are the fisher men Wherefore we denie not but that wicked men may be in the Church but not of it yea they may be members of the visible Church for a time but can not be truly ingraffed into the body of Christ. Fulk annot Iohan. 15. Sect. 1. 2 The Church say they is compared to a body 1. Cor. 12. as in the body there are some partes which haue neither sense nor life so in the Church there are some mēbers which haue neither faith nor charitie which is the life of the Church Ergo wicked men may be right members of the Church Bellarm. cap. 10. there may be also some fruitlesse braūches in the vine and so euill men may be members of Christ. Rhemist annot 15. Iohan. 1. euery braunch not bearing fruit in me shal be cast forth Ergo there may be fruitlesse braūches in Christ. We answere to the first who would haue said as the Iesuite doth that there are partes in the body that receiue neither life nor sense of the body doth he meane the nayles and heares as he seemeth to geue instance in the end of the Chapter but they are no partes of the body but excrements he is so deepe in his sophistrie that he hath forgotten Philosophie and yet they receiue some gift from the body for they grow encrease but the wicked receiue no grace at all from the Church The Rhemistes yet are more reasonable that say the wicked in the church are as ill humors and superfluous excrements in the body rather then liuely partes therof 1. Iohan. 2. Sect. 10. To the second is a dead bow or a braunch I pray you any part of the tree I thinke not the tree can not conueniently spare any one of the partes therof but the dead partes are hurtfull and combersome and it doth the tree good to cut them of But that they haue preuented vs we would haue vsed no better argument against them then this drawen from the resemblance of a mans body for as what is in the body receiuing no life nor power from the body is not properly a part of the body howsoeuer it seeme to be ioyned to the body so the wicked although they be in the outward face of the Church yet because they are not partakers of the spirituall life thereof by Christ are not truly to be iudged members of it 3 If wicked men should not be right members of the Church but the faithfull and predestinate we should be vncertaine which is the true Church which is not to be admitted because the whole doctrine and all the principles of Religion do depend of the testimonie of the Church Bellarm. lib. 2. cap. 10. We aunswere First although it is necessarie that the true Church should be certainly knowen yet not for that cause which the Iesuite pretendeth for the Religion of Christians is grounded vpon the Scriptures
of Bishops and Pastors is not necessarie for the continuance of the truth neither can it be concluded out of this place 3 Thus they reason there haue bene alwayes some faithfull men which haue outwardly professed their faith for if they dissembled or cloaked their profession then were they not faithfull Ergo the church hath bene alwayes visible as in the time of persecution Bellarmine We aunswere First the Iesuite doth cleane peruert and chaunge the state of the question for he defineth a visible church to be multitudo congregata in qua sint praelati subditi a multitude or companie gathered together where there are both Prelates and Bishops and people obediēt vnto them And now he geueth an instance of persecution wherein some faithfull Christians may geue an outward profession of their faith where is now that multitude congregate together where is that iurisdiction of Prelates where is that visible and glorious succession We denie not but that in time of persecution the faithfull may be knowen to them selues and yet some time they are not for in Israell there were seuen thousand faithfull beside Elias yet he knew none of them But it foloweth not that therefore the church is then visible to the world and notoriously knowen to men for so the Rhemistes say in Math. 5. Sect. 3. Act. 11. Sect. 3. Thus they flye manifestly from the question The Protestantes WE denie not but that the catholike vniuersall church as it hath hitherto continued since the beginning of the world so shall it endure to the end the Lord shall neuer want vpon earth a companie of faithfull men which shall truly serue him though it be not necessarie neither hath alwayes bene seene that they should be in any one place A visible church we define to be a congregation of men amongest whom the word is truly preached and the Sacraments administred such a Church hath not alwayes bene neither can we be assured that it shall alway be found vpon the earth wherein the worship of God publikely and visibly is practised 1 In the raigne of Ahaz king of Iuda there was no visible church where the pure worship of God was practised for both Israell vnder Pekah and Iuda vnder Ahaz fell to Idolatrie and folowed the custome of the Gētiles 2. Kings 16.3 yea Vriah the high Priest consented with the king to set vp Idolatrie Likewise in the dayes of Manasseh who did euill after the abhomination of the heathen 2. Kings 21.2 there was no place where God was publikely worshipped for Iudah was corrupted Israell was carried away captiue Ergo there was a time when there was no visible Church 2 In the Passion of our Sauiour there was no visible church such a church we still meane as where there are Prelati subditi pastores oues Prelates and people pastors and sheepe We proue it thus The visible Church was not amongest the Pharisies and Priests for they shamefully and wickedly erred Bellarmin 17. It was not among the Apostles for they also erred therfore after the Papists opiniō they were not the Church for the Church say they erreth not Secondly he saith they were yet but materiall partes not formall that is not Bishops or Pastors how then could there be a visible Church which was without the formal and principall parts that is Pastors and Bishops Ergo there was then no visible Church 3 When the abhominatiō of desolation shall stand in the temple there shal be a generall defection and apostasie from the faith then shall the visible church fayle vpon earth But the first is true Math. 24.15 2. Thess. 2.3 Ergo. To the first place the Iesuite aunswereth that it must be vnderstood of the destruction of the temple cap. 16. But the Rhemistes more liberall then so affirme that it shal be especially accomplished in Antichristes time when as the sacrifice of the Masse shall vtterly be abolished annot in Math. 24. ver 15. To the next place cōcerning that defectiō apostasie which S. Paul speaketh of first he saith that it shal be a defection from the Romane Empire but the Rhemistes say it shal be a defection frō most points of Christian Religion Secondly the Iesuite aunswereth that though it be a defection from the Romane faith yet it shall not be generall but particular but the Rhemistes better aduised graunt it shal be a reuolt of kingdomes peoples prouinces the publike entercourse of the faithfull with the church of Rome shall cease they shall onely communicate with it in hart annot in 2. Thess. 2. Sect. 6. Now out of their owne wordes we conclude there shal be a time whē as the publike seruice of God shall cease there shal be desolation in the Churches and temples of Christians there shal be then no publike entercourse with the Church but a priuat communicating in hart Ergo there shal be a time when there shal be no outward visible Church notoriously and famously knowen Ergo our aduersaries are in an error are condemned by their owne mouth THE THIRD QVESTION OF THE notes and markes whereby the true Church may be discerned and knowen FIRST OF THE FALSE AND ERROneous notes of the Church OVr aduersaries do deuise many notes whereby their Church is discryed as Bellarmine reckoneth vp 15. in order to many certaine to be found in a good Church but there are six principall which they doe most stand vpon antiquitie vniuersalitie succession vnitie the power of miracles the gift of prophesie We must first touch these in order and then come to the true and infallible notes of the Church Of antiquitie Note 1. THe Papists make great bragges of the long continuance of their Church yea that they can shew the discent of their Church from Adam Rhemistes error 18 annot in Act. 28. Sect. 5. But alacke sillie men they must come short of our Sauiuiour Christs and the Apostles time by fiue or six hundred yeares for the most of the opinions which they now hold Let vs examine their reasons In any great chaunge of Religion say they the authors of the Sect the time when it began the persons that oppugned it may be knowen but no such thing can be shewed of our Church say they as we can shew of yours we can tell them the yeare the places and ringleaders of their reuolt say our English Rhemistes annot in 1. Iohan. 2. Sect. 9. Bellarmin lib. 4. de Eccles. cap. 5. We aunswere First no meruaile if Papistrie herein do much differ from other heresies they as the heresies of the Arrians Pelagians Donatistes because they were not long to continue sodainly brake out and sodainly againe were extinguished But Papistrie being the prop and pillar of Antichrists kingdome by whom the world must be deluded many yeares was at the beginning to worke closely and secretly not breaking out at once into open impietie and blasphemie but vnder pretense of holynesse to set a broach her deadly poyson therefore S. Paule calleth it a
Notes we would desire no better arguments then those which our aduersaries alleadged against vs for first our notes are proper onely to the Church and cannot bee found in any place where the Church of God is not Secondly they are most notorious markes and a man by the Scriptures may more easely knowe what true doctrine is and which are the right Sacraments then which is the true Church Thirdly these markes can not be absent from the Church but doe alwayes accompanie it and it is no longer a true Church then it hath those markes 2 We are able out of the Scriptures to proue these marks which may stand in stead of many reasons Iohn 10. my sheepe heare my voyce Ephes. 5. clensing it by the washing of water through the word Ergo the Word and Sacraments are true notes of the Church Bellarmine answereth to the first place that the hearing of the word is not a visible note of the Church but a signe vnto euery man whereby he may knowe his election Wee replie agayne looke which way a man is knowne to bee a member of the Church by the same way the Church also it selfe is discerned if the hearing of the word doe make one a sheep of Christ then doth it also shew which is the flocke and fould of Christ As I knowe my hand or foote to bee a part of my bodie because it hath life and motion of the bodie euen so the bodie is discerned from a carkas because it moueth and liueth To the second place he answereth very simply that the Apostle there sheweth not which is the Church but what good Christ hath wrought for his Church We replie againe But the Church is best knowne by the benefites that Christ hath bestowed vpon it amongst the which the Word and the Sacraments are not the least Ergo by these the Church is knowne and in that place by the Apostle described And let the reader iudge whether that place of the Apostle where there is direct mention made of the word and sacraments be not fitly applied to our purpose concerning the description of the Church 3 Let Augustine speake In scripturis didicimus Christum in scripturis didicimus ecclesiam epistol 166. In the scripture we doe learne Christ in the scripture let vs likewise learne the Church His argument is this Looke how Christ is knowne so is his Church but Christ is onely knowne by his word Ergo so is his Church The fourth question of the authoritie of the Church THe Papists affirme that the authoritie of the Church consisteth in these fiue poynts First in authorising the scriptures and defining which are Canonicall Secondly in giuing the sense of the scripture Thirdly in determining matters besides scripture Fourthly in making lawes constitutions for the Church Fiftly in exercising of discipline Concerning the two last we doe not greatly stand with them We acknowledge the Church hath authoritie to make decrees and constitutions but so as the Apostles did Visum est nobis spiritui sancto It seemed good to vs and the holy Ghost the Church must be directed by the wisedome of the spirit speaking in the scriptures We also acknowledge the holesome power of the Church in exercising of holy discipline but it must be done in the name and power of Christ. 1. Cor. 5.4 not according to the will of men Concerning the two first we haue alreadie shewed that neither the Church doth giue authoritie to the word of God but doth take her authoritie from thē for the scriptures are of sufficient credite of themselues 1. controu quaest 4. Neither that the sense of scripture dependeth vpon the interpretation of the scripture but that the word expoundeth it selfe 1. controu quaest 6. There remaineth therefore onely one poynt to be discussed of the authoritie of the Church namely in deciding of matters beside the scriptures which are of two sorts either necessarie appertayning to faith or indifferent concerning ceremonies of both these in their order THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE CHVRCH hath authoritie in matters of faith beside the scriptures The Papists WE ought to take our faith and al necessarie things of saluation at the hands error 24 of our superiours Rhemist Act. 10. sect 8. In poynts not decided by scripture wee must aske counsaile of the Church Praefat. sect 25. The Church is the onely piller and stay to leane vnto in all doubts of doctrine without the which there can be no certaintie nor securitie we must therefore beleeue it and trust it in all things annot 1. Timoth. cap. 3. sect 9. Yea it hath authoritie say they to make newe Articles of faith as in the Councell of Constance it was decreed to be necessarie to saluation to beleeue the Pope to be head of the Church In the Councell of Basile it was made an Article of the faith to beleeue that the Councell was aboue the Pope and therfore Pope Eugenius in not obeying the Councell was adiudged to be an heretike 1 Vpon these words in the Gospel Iohn 15.27 the spirit shall testifie of me and you shall beare witnesse also they conclude thus Ergo the testimonie of the trueth ioyntly consisteth in the holy Ghost and Prelates of the Church Rhemist Iohn 15. sect 8. We answere The witnesse of the spirit and of the Apostles is all one witnesse for the spirit first testifieth the trueth to the Apostles inwardly and the Apostles inspired by the spirite did witnesse it outwardly so the Pastors of the Church witnessing with the spirit which is not now inspired by reuelation but onely found in the scriptures are to bee heard but if the spirit testifie one thing in the word and they testifie another there we must leaue them 2 The Church erreth not Ergo we must heare her in all things Rhem. 1. Timoth 3. sect 9. We answere First the Church may erre if she followe not the scriptures Proued before 2. controu quaest 2. Secondly so long as the Church heareth Christs voyce we are likewise to heare hers and so long as she is preserued from error she will not swarue from Christs precepts neither impose any thing vpon her children without the warrant of her spouse The Protestantes THat the Church hath no such power to ordaine articles of faith or impose matters to be beleeued necessarie to saluation not contayned or prescribed in the holy scriptures We prooue it thus and wee are sure that the true Church of Christ will neuer chalenge any such prerogatiue 1. All truthes and verities in the scriptures are not so necessary to saluation that the ignorance thereof should bring perill of damnation Ergo much lesse are any verities out of scripture of any such necessitie the first is manifest for to know the iust chronologie of time or space of yeares from the beginning of the world to Christ is a veritie in scripture yet not necessary so to beleeue that Marie continued a virgin euer after the birth of our Lord was thought by
that he defloured virgins that he lay with Stephana his fathers concubine likewise with Ramera and Anna and her Neece for these beastlie parts and such like he was deposed there was no heresie obiected agaynst him And thinke you not he was worthily vnpoped yet the Papists thinke no for they admit no cause of depriuation but heresie This deuillish Pope through the harlots of Rome for he was well beloued of them recouered his Popedome agayne but at the length the Lord himselfe displaced him for in the tenth yeere of his Popedome being founde without the citie with an other mans wife hee was so wounded of her husbande that within eight dayes after hee dyed Fox pag. 159. Boniface the 7. tooke Pope Iohn the 15. who was made Pope a little before and hee expelled yet recouering the Papacie by force hee tooke him put out his eyes and threwe him in prison where he was famished Likewise was Iohn the 18. serued by Gregorie the 5. his eyes were thrust out first and he afterward slayne I meruaile how our Catholikes can excuse these furious outrages of their ghostly fathers of Rome In the Councel of Brixia Gregorie the 7. was deposed not for heresie but for other abominable vices as maintayning of periurie and murthers for following Diuinations Dreames Sorcerie Necromancie Fox p. 181. Pope Iohn the 23. deposed in the Councel of Constance Eugenius in the Councel at Basile yet neither of them for heresie And yet our aduersaries would still make vs beleeue that Popes cannot be deposed for any crime but heresie 2 We can haue no better argument then from our aduersaries themselues It is a sport to see what diuers opinions they hold and doe runne as it were in a maze not knowing which way to get out Pighius thinketh that the Pope cannot possiblie fall into heresie and therefore for no cause may bee deposed Some other thinke that the Pope for secret and close heresie is actually deposed of GOD and may also bee deposed and iudged of the Church thus holdeth Iohann de turre cremat Caietanus is of opinion that for manifest and open heresie the Pope is both alreadie by right deposed and may also actually be deposed of the Church But Bellarmine confuteth all these There is a fourth opinion most grosse that the Pope neither for secret nor open heresie is either alreadie of right deposed or may be actually depriued of the Church Lastly commeth in the nice and daintie Iesuite with his quirkes and quiddities who sayth that the Pope in case of manifest heresie ceaseth to bee Pope and is euen now deposed and if after the Church proceede agaynst him they iudge not the Pope for now hee is no Pope Which opinion how absurd it is I haue declared before THE FIFT PART CONCERNING THE ORIGInall and beginning of the primacie of Rome The Papists THey doe boldly affirme without any ground that the primacie of that See error 45 hath his beginning from no other but Christ they are the Iesuites owne words Romani pontificis ecclesiasticum principatum authore Christo principium accepisse that the princely dignitie of the Bishop of Rome acknowledgeth no other author or beginner thereof but Christ Bellarm. cap. 7. lib. 2. 1 They would build the primacie of the Romane Church vpon certaine places of scripture as Math. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church Luk. 22. I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith should not faile Iohn 21. Christ sayd to Peter feede my sheepe Ergo Peter and Peters successors haue their primacie from Christ Bellarm. To these places Tunstal and Stokeslie two Popish Bishops yet in this poynt holding the truth did properly make answere in their Epistle sent to Cardinall Poole To the first They affirme out of the ancient expositors that it is ment of the faith which was then first confessed by the mouth of Peter and not of Peters person Further confirming out of S. Paul that neither Peter nor no creature beside could bee the foundation of the Church for no other foundation can any man lay sayth the Apostle besides that which is layd Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. To the second they answere that Christ speaketh onely of the fall of Peter which hee knewe in his godlie prescience giuing an inkling vnto him that after his fall hee should bee conuerted and strengthen his brethren for if it were ment also of Peters successors they must first faile in faith and after confirme their brethren To the third The whole flock of Christ was not committed to Peter to feede for he himselfe testifieth the contrarie exhorting all Pastors to feede the flocke of Christ which was giuen them in charge by Christ as it followeth in that place when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue the incorruptible Crowne of eternall glorie He calleth not himselfe the chiefe shepheard but onely Christ. It is euident therefore say they that your 3. scriptures ment nothing lesse then such a primacie ouer all Fox pag. 1067. 2 There can bee no time assigned since Christ say they when this primacie should begin nor no author named that brought it in Ergo it must needes bee attributed to Christ he must of necessitie bee found the author thereof We answere the time may bee assigned the authors named when and by whom this pretensed and vsurped authoritie was brought in as euen now wee will shewe The Protestants THat the vsurped iurisdiction of Rome tooke not the beginning from Christ nor his Apostles neither was heard of for many yeres after we thus are able to proue it 1 Before the Nicene Councel which first deuided the regiment of the Church into foure Patriarchal seates Rome had small or no preeminence So Aeneas Syluius witnesseth who afterward was Pope of Rome and called Pius the 2. Ante Nicenum concilium sibi quisque viuebat ad Romanam ecclesiam paruus habebatur respectus Epist. 301. Before the Nicene Councel euery Bishop liued to himselfe there was no great respect had to the Church of Rome What more euident testimonie can wee haue then of a Pope himselfe Yet the Iesuite sayth that it is false in part which hee writeth He is somewhat mannerly in making him but halfe a lyer yet I wonder that he will confesse any vntruth at all in his ghostly fathers words Bellarm. cap. 17. lib. 2. Secondly in the Councel of Nice there was no primacie of power giuen to Rome ouer the whole Church but the other Patriarkes of Alexandria Antioch Ierusalem were priuiledged in like manner in their confines as the Bishop of Rome was in his They had all equall authoritie giuen them in their owne prouinces Sic Tonstall Stokesli ad Poolum Thirdly afterward there was a certayne primacie of order graunted vnto the Patriarke of Rome aboue other Patriarkes as to haue the first place to sit first to giue his sentence first One cause hereof was for that Rome was then the Emperiall and
the perfection and authority of the scriptures as also whether it be in the Pope to summone dissolue and confirme Councels which hath been sufficiently declared before in the controuersie concerning Councels Concerning other questions as the canonizing of Saints which they say appertaineth to the Pope the election and confirmation of Bishops pardons and indulgences we shall haue fitter occasion to deale in them in their seuerall places and controuersies At this time wee purpose onely to touch these two poynts aforesaide of the Popes Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE POPE may make lawes to binde the conscience and punish the transgressors thereof iudicially The Papists THat the Pope hath such authorie to make lawes for the whole Church error 49 which shall binde vnder paine of damnation as well as the lawes of God it is the general opinion of the papists Fox 981. articul 13. p. 1101. artic cont Lambert 29. But they put in this clause So they bee not vniust lawes nor contrarie to the diuine law Bellarm. cap. 15. And yet they say that the Pope may make lawes hauing not the authority nor warrant of scripture neither is it necessarie for these lawes to be expressed or diduced out of scripture And these lawes are not onely of externall rites and orders of the Church but euen of things necessary to saluation Bellarm. cap 15. in reprehens Caluini Yea he addeth further that in matters not necessary to saluation he can not be disobeyed without deadly sinne and offence of conscience cap. 16. loc 1. Bulla Leonis 10. aduersus Lutherum Fox p. 1283. col 1. 1. The Apostles prescribed a law concerning the abstaining from blood things strangled and offered to Idols concerning the which Christ gaue them no precept But this law did binde the people in conscience for euery where the Apostles gaue straight charge for the keeping of the decrees Bellarm. Answere First the Apostles commaunded no newe thing but the same which they themselues were taught of Christ that they should take heede of offence the Christians therefore were not bound in conscience any further to keepe the decrees concerning such things then for auoyding of scandal and offence Secondly for afterward the offence being taken away the law also ceased and Saint Paul giueth libertie notwithstanding this law to eate things offered to Idols if it might be done without offence Asking no question sayth he for conscience sake 1. Cor. 10.27 Ergo their consciences were not hereby obliged and bound 3. It is necessary to haue some lawes beside the diuine law for the gouernment of the Church for the word of God is too vniuersal neither is sufficient to direct euery particular action therefore other ecclesiasticall lawes must bee added but euery good and necessary law hath a coactiue and constraining power and bindeth the conscience to obedience Ergo the constitutions of the Popes and Councels which are the only ecclesiastical lawes doe binde the conscience Bellarmin cap. 16. lib. 4. Answere First the word of God contayneth all necessarie rules to saluation wherefore all lawes of the Church concerning matters of faith are but explanations and interpretations of the rules of fayth set forth in scripture if they be godly lawes and so are not the lawes of men but of God and doe bind the conscience to the obseruation thereof as the lawes of the Church which command Christians to resort to the congregation to heare Gods word and reuerently to receiue the sacraments are the very ordinances and commaundements of Christ who enioyned his Apostles to preach and baptize and his faythfull people to heare and to be baptized and therefore in conscience wee are bound to the obedience hereof Secondly there are other ecclesiasticall lawes appoynted for the publique order of the Church concerning externall rites and circumstances of persons and place as the houres of prayer the forme of the leâ—turgie publike seruice the times fittest for the celebration of the sacraments and such like These and such like constitutions do not binde in conscience absolutely in respect of the things themselues which are indifferent but in regarde of that contempt and offence which might followe in the not keeping of them contempt to our superiors whome wee ought in all lawfull things to obey offence in grieuing the conscience of our weake brethren So that euen these constitutions also which are made according to the rules of the Gospell that is vnto edification to the glorie of God and for auoyding of offence doe necessarilie binde vs in conscience not conscience of the thinges themselues which are but externall but conscience of obedience to our Christian Magistrates and conscience in taking heede of all iust offence sic Caluin Institut lib. 4. cap. 10.11 3 But we are not God be thanked driuen to any such straight that if there be neede of any such Ecclesiasticall lawes we should run for succor to the Popes beggerly decretals And yet such Canons as were in force amongst them agreeable to the rules of the Gospell we doe not refuse But if there bee want and penurie of good lawes euery Church hath as full authoritie to make decrees and ordinances for the peace and order and quiet gouernement thereof not as the Pope of Rome hath ouer the vniuersall Church for that by right is none or if it be it is but an vsurped power but as the Bishop of Rome hath in his owne Bishopricke and dioces The Protestants WHat our sentence is of this matter it doth partlie appeare by that which wee haue alreadie saide that the Pope hath no power ouer the whole Church and therefore can make no lawes to binde the conscience or otherwise for the same for it belongeth not to his charge Secondly we say that neither he nor any ecclesiasticall gouernement beside can make lawes of things necessarie to saluation other then those which are in Scripture conteined Thirdly all Ecclesiasticall lawes made concerning externall rites and publike order doe not otherwise binde the conscience then in regarde of our obedience due to Christian Magistrates in lawfull things and for auoyding of scandall and offence But in respect of the things commaunded such lawes doe not binde Caluin loc praedicto 1 Saint Iames saith there is one lawe-giuer which is able to saue and to destroy cap. 4.12 He therefore onely maketh lawes to binde the conscience that is able to saue and to destroy but that cannot the Pope doe Ergo Caluin argum Bellarmine answereth that the lawes of men doe binde vnder paine of damnation in as much as God is offended and displeased with their disobedience and so iudgeth them worthie of punishment cap. 20. All this wee graunt that the lawes of men being good lawes doe binde in conscience in respect of the contempt and disobedience to higher powers but not in respect of the thinges commaunded which in their nature are indiffereÌ„t The Iesuite should haue said that God is offended not onely for their disobedience but simplie
abomination of the whore of Babylon There are three monstrous and shameful prerogatiues which the Canonists ascribed to the Pope in times past and they are these his power dispensatiue his power exemptiue his power transcendent so we will call them at this time error 53 First his prerogatiue in dispensing was wonderfull it would offend a Christian eare to heare what his grosse Canonists are nothing ashamed to say Papa potest dispensare contra ius diuinum the Pope may dispence against the Lawe of God contra ius naturae against the Lawe of nature contra Apostolum against the Apostle contra nouum testamentum against the new Testament Nay Papa potest dispensare de omnibus praeceptis veteris noui testamenti the Pope may dispence with all the Commaundements both of the olde and new lawe What intolerable blasphemies are here The practises also of Popes are agreeable hereunto for did not the Court of Rome dispence with King Henry the eights marriage with his brothers wife but that vngodly dispensation at the last was ouerthrowne and it was well concluded by act of Parliament Anno. 1533. That no man had authoritie to dispence with Gods lawes error 54 2 Concerning his power exemptiue the Pope say they is not bound to any lawe No man is to iudge or accuse him of any crime either of adulterie murther simonie or such like If he fall into adulterie or homicide hee cannot bee accused but rather excused by the murthers of Sampson theftes of the Hebrues the adulterie of Iacob As Oziah was stricken for putting his hand to the Arke inclining no more must subiects rebuke their Prelates going awry by the inclination of the Arke the fall of prelates is vnderstoode This generally is the opinion of the Canonists but the Iesuites doo holde the contrarie that it is lawfull euen for an inferior priest to rebuke the Pope Rhemist Annot. in 2. Galath sect 8. Wherefore seeing they confute themselues they neede not any other refutation error 55 3 Concerning the third power which we call Transcendent One saith that non minor honor Papae debetur quà m Angelis that there is no lesse honor due to the Pope thē to Angels Another saith Papatus est summa virtus creata The Popedome is the highest power that was created of God aboue Angels or Archangels Againe those wordes of the Psalme thou hast put all things vnder his foote as sheepe and oxen fowles of the ayre fishes of the sea they thus blasphemouslie applie to the Pope by sheepe and oxen vnderstanding men liuing vpon the earth by the fowles of the ayre the Angels in Heauen whom they say the Pope may commaunde by the fishes the soules in purgatorie Ouer all these the Pope say they hath absolute power who may if it please him release all purgatorie at once What horrible blasphemies are here Yet our Rhemists and other Iesuites are somewhat more modest which confesse that the Pope is but Christs Vicar in the regiment of that part which is on the earth Annotat. 1. Ephesians sect 5. Seeing then they confute themselues wee will not further trauaile herein but proceede THE TENTH QVESTION CONCERNING Antichrist and whether the Pope be that great aduersarie vnto Christ. THis question is deuided into many partes First whether Antichrist shall bee some one singular man Secondly of the time of his comming and continuing Thirdly of his name Fourthly of what nation or kinred hee shall come Fiftly where his place and seate shall bee Sixtly of his Doctrine and manners Seauenthly of his miracles Eightly of his Kingdome and warres Ninthly whether the Pope bee the very Antichrist This then is a most famous question and worthie throughly to bee discussed euery poynte therefore must be handled in order The Papists THey hold that Antichrist whose comming is foretolde in the Scripture shall error 56 be one particular man not a whole bodie tyrannie or Kingdome as the truth is Bellarm. cap. 2. lib. 3. 1 They vrge the words of our Sauiour Iohn 5.43 I come in my Fathers name and ye receiue me not if another come in his owne name him will ye receiue Here Christ say they speaketh of another that shall come namely Antichrist for here one is opposed to one namely Antichrist to Christ not a Kingdome to a Kingdome or sect vnto sect but one person to another Bellarmine cap. 2. lib. 3. Ans. First here is not so much an opposition of persons as there is of doctrine as to preach in the name of God and to preach in the name of men and though Christ be the chiefe doctor and teacher that came in the name of his Father yet all true preachers beside doe come in the same name for so our Sauiour saith of his Apostles He that receiueth you receiueth me and he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me Matth. 10.40 Therefore he that receiueth the Apostles receciueth God they also then doe come in the name of Christ and so Christ and all the faithfull make but one Iohn 17.21 2 Neither doth Christ here speake of one speciall enemie but of all false prophets for it is not vnusuall in the Scripture in the singular number to expresse a multitude being of the same kinde as Iohn 10.11.12 There is a comparison betweene Christ the true shepheard and the hireling where by the name of hireling all false shepheards and spirituall theeues are vnderstood and so is it in this place therefore they cannot conclude out of this place that Antichrist shall be but one man 2 An other proofe is out of 1. Iohn 2.18 the Antichrist shal come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresseth some singular notable person Bellarmine ibid. Ans. It is false The Greeke article doth not alwaies in scripture assigne some particular person as Matth. 4.4 Man shall not liue by bread onely the Greeke text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man and yet is it vnderstood not of any one man but of all in generall so 2. Tim. 2.17 The man of God that is euery faithfull minister or good Christian yet is it expressed with the article Fulk Annota 2. Thess. 2. sect 8. 3 Apocal. 13.18 It is the number of a man the proper name of Antichrist is set downe Ergo but one man Bellar. ibid. Rhemens 2. Thes. 2. sect 8. Ans. The name here mystically described which shal conteine 666. in number for so the Greek letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie being nūbred doth not expresse any particular name of one man but rather of the whole societie and bodie of Antichrist for it is said to be the number of the beast Now by the beast is vnderstoode the Romane Empire the name whereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latinus which letters doe arise in computation to the whole number of 666. And this name Irenaeus thinketh to agree best to this place Further seeing the Rhemists themselues by the best do vnderstand
so well knowne in stories that I neede not come to particulars 6 Antichrist is called a wicked man and a man of sinne vers 3.8 And where shall you finde more wicked men then among the Popes Siluester the 2. gaue his soule to the diuell to obtayne the Papacie Fox pag. 167. Benno reporteth of Hildebrand that he poysoned sixe Popes to come to the Popedome Pope Stephen and Sergius tooke vp the bodie of Formosus and mangled it cutting off his head and fingers and so cast it into Tibris Fox pag. 120. We haue heard before what a holy Father Pope Iohn the 13. was he lay with his owne sister and with his fathers Concubines playing at dice called for the diuell was slayne in adulterie And was it not I pray you a common prouerbe in England He that goeth to Rome once seeth a wicked man he that goeth twise learneth to know him he that goeth the third time bringeth him home with him Fox pag. 841. argument Illyrici The third place we doe take out of the Apocalyps chap. 9. where is a playne storie set downe of the Pope 1 vers 1. He is a starre fallen from heauen he is departed from the ancient faith of Rome to superstition and idolatrie 2 He hath the key of the bottomlesse pit who giueth the crosse keyes in his armes but the Pope who sayth hee may euacuate all Purgatorie at once if hee will but he Who sayth he may Pleno iure currus animarum plenos secum ad tartara detrudere by full right carrie downe to hell with him charriots Ioden with soules cap. si Papa distinct 42. Is not this the Pope who then more fitly may be sayd to haue the key of the bottomlesse pit 3 There arise out of the bottomlesse pit a great flocke of Locusts that is the innumerable sort of begging Friers for they are in euery respect described First compared to Locusts for their number vers 3. There were an 100. diuers sorts of Friers Fox pag. 260. Secondly they had power giuen them for fiue moneths that is as Walter Brute expoundeth it taking a moneth for thirtie dayes a day for a yeere as it is prophetically taken an 150. yeeres for so long it was from the beginning of the Friers vnder Innocent the 3. anno 1212. to the time of Armachanus who preached disputed and wrote agaynst the Friers about anno 1360. Fox pag. 414. Thirdly they shall sting like Scorpions not slay all at once but venome and poyson the conscience with the sting of their pestilent doctrine Fourthly other parts also of the description agree as vers 7. They are as horses prepared to battaile that is stoute ambitious their haire as the haire of women that is they shall be effeminate and giuen to the lusts of the flesh their teeth as the teeth of Lions they by valiant begging shall deuoure the portions of the poore as it was well proued in King Henry the 8. dayes in the Supplication of beggars that the summe of the Friers almes came to a great summe in the yeere for the fiue orders of Friers had a penie a quarter for euery one of euery housholder throughout England that is for them all twentie pence by the yeere suppose that there be but ten housholds in euery towne and let there be twentie thousand parishes and townes in England it will not want much of twentie thousand pound Thus had they Lions teeth that is consuming and deuouring Lastly they haue a King vers 11. whose name is Abaddon a destroyer for the Pope their chiefe prince and patron hath by his Antichristian doctrine layd wast the Church of God Argument Chytraei The fourth place of scripture wee will take out of the 17. of the Apocalyps there the seate of Antichrist is described First vers 5. It is called Babylon the citie which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth vers 18. This can be no other but Rome which then had the Empire of the whole world Secondly It is the citie built vpon seuen hils or mountaynes vers 9. that is no other but Rome Thirdly the whore which is Antichrist shall sit vpon the beast with seuen heads and ten hornes that is shall succeede in the Empire and haue the authoritie thereof so hath the Pope Fourthly the ten hornes that is the Kings of the earth shal giue their authoritie to the beast but afterward shall deuoure her flesh Euen so the Kings of the earth by their sword maintayned the authoritie of the Pope But now being taught by the Gospell they are made the Lords free men and begin to subdue their neckes from his yoke The fift place is 1. Iohn 2.22 Who is a lyar but he that denyeth that Iesus is Christ the same is Antichrist that denyeth the father and the sonne Euen so the Pope of Rome though not openly and apertly yet closely and subtilly is an enemie vnto the whole trinitie He exalteth himselfe aboue God the father because he taketh vpon him to dispense not onely agaynst the lawe of nature but agaynst the lawe of God the morall law and agaynst the precepts both of the old and new testament but a lawe cannot be dispensed withall but by the same authoritie or greater Agaynst Iesus Christ he exalteth himselfe and all his offices he denyeth him to be the onely Prophet saying the scriptures are vnperfect and that their traditions are also necessarie to saluation Agayne he maketh other bookes scripture then those which are Canonicall His kingly office he doth arrogate to himselfe in making lawes to binde the conscience in ordayning other Sacraments in granting Indulgences and Pardons saying that he is the head of the Church His Priesthood he is an enemie vnto constituting another priesthood after the order of Melchisedech then that of our Sauiour Christ which begun vpon the Crosse and remayneth still in his person being incommunicable to any other creature yet they make euery sacrificing Priest to bee of the order of Melchisedech He impugneth the office of the holy spirit counting that prophane which the holy Ghost hath sanctified as marriage and meates arrogateth in all things the spirit of truth not to erre applieth the merites of Christs passion after his owne pleasure by Pardons Indulgences by ceremonies and Sacraments of his owne inuention Fulk 2. Thess. 2. sect 10. Ergo we conclude out of S. Iohn that seeing he denieth Iesus to be Christ he is Antichrist Sixtly S. Paul sayth that Antichrist shal be an aduersarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 2.4 An aduersarie in doctrine teaching cleane contrarie to the Gospell of Christ so doth the Pope 1 The scripture sayth wee ought to put our trust onely in God and not in man Ierem. 17.7 and to call vpon God onely in the day of trouble Psal. 50.15 and to worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4.24 The Papists say cleane contrarie that we must call vpon Saints and beleeue they can helpe vs and they teach vs to fall downe before
and Elders as it shall be shewed afterward Secondly neither is it a good reason to condemne our Ministerie because it hath not the Popes allowance for euery Church hath a lawfull calling within it selfe without sending to forrayne Prelates for their approbation And if you aske vs by whom our Ministers were first called seeing there were none but popish Bishops in euery Church wee answere that some had their calling in the Popish Church which afterward being more effectually called of GOD became profitable teachers of the Gospell Neither is it necessarie that the Church should alwayes be bound to an ordinarie calling when as the state of the Church is so corrupted and the gouernment thereof that no good calling can bee obtayned for then the Lord raiseth vp some extraordinarily for the reformation of the Church such as we doubt not but Luther was In which and the like cases the ordinarie imposition of hands by the Pastors of the Church being heretikes and idolaters as it was in time of Poperie is not to be expected or stayed for Plura apud Fulk annot Rom. 10. sect 5. The Protestants COncerning election or choise to be made by the people we are to put three cases First meere popular elections wherein the people by multitude of voyce should carrie all away are in no case nor at any time to be allowed Secondly for the people to giue their voyce in elections which are moderated and gouerned by the graue and wise Pastors and Elders it hath been vsed in times past and may bee agayne and is in some places where the state of the Church the condition and qualitie of the people will beare it Thirdly though the people neither beare sway in the election nor giue their suffrages and voyces yet it is conuenient and requisite that their consent should be had and publike testimonie for the Ministers should bee such as haue a good report of all 1. Timoth. 3.7 Fulk Act. 14. sect 3. But as for the Pope let him keepe himselfe as a Bishop in his owne Dioces he hath nothing to doe with ordayning or electing of Ministers in other Churches 1 Numb 20.27 Eleazar was made Priest in Aarons place in the sight of all the congregation Ergo Ministers ought to be ordayned publikely in the sight of the congregation not in corners or priuate places as they vsed to doe in time of Poperie yea it is recorded of Pope Iohn the 13. that he ordayned Deacons in a stable And herein they offended manifestly agaynst their owne rules for their decree is Nullus inuitis detur Episcopus sed Cleri plebis consensus desideriū requiratur Let no Bishop be thrust vpon any against their wils but let the consent and desire of the people and Clergie be knowne 2 We haue the example of the Apostles Act. 1. 6. 14.23 When Matthias was elected the whole multitude was called together and Act. 6. the Deacons were chosen by the whole multitude Ergo the people had an interest in times past in the election of Church officers and this example of the Apostles may safely and lawfully bee followed of the Church when time and place serueth Bellarmine answereth First the election of Deacons and Pastors is not all one neither is there the like reason Ans. They are both publike officers for the good of the Church and therfore if the people haue any interest in the one why not in the other Secondly this was done by the grant and sufferance of the Apostles Ans. Yea the Apostles called them together but by the direction of the holy Ghost as Act. 15. when the Church was assembled together vpon another occasion it is sayd It seemed good to vs and the holy Ghost Agayne in the election beside imposition of hands prayer was vsed which was a chiefe part of that action but the people had their interest in publike prayers as being part of the congregation and were not admitted thereunto at the pleasure and will of men wherefore it is not true that it was a meere grant of men that the people might be present at elections but it so seemed good to the Apostles thereto directed by the spirit of God 3 But as for the right of elections in the Pope it hath no shewe of reason for bee it that Peter had onely the right of consecration amongst the Apostles you doe but flatter your selues in thinking that whatsoeuer right was in Peter it must needes be in the Pope for he is not Peters successor as we haue shewed before at large But we will hold you rather to this poynt that all the Apostles had as full right to ordayne and consecrate by laying on of hands as Peter had Looke Act. 6.6 Act. 13.3 Act. 14.23 And if the Pope cannot haue all that which Peter had much lesse can he bee capable of that which Peter neuer had 4 We haue had good experience in England of the Popes great discretion and wisedome in collation of spirituall preferments and ordayning of Bishops About anno 1253. the Pope wrote a very imperious and commanding letter to the good Bishop of Lincolne Robert Grostede to bestowe a Canonship in Lincolne vpon his nephewe a boy for so Popes call their bastards but he suffered the repulse for that time In the time of Edward the 3. and Richard the 2. a certificate was sent vp into the Chauncerie of such Ecclesiasticall dignities as were possessed by strangers not inhabiting the land and there were found aboue fourtie Deaneries Archdeaconries and Prebends and those not the worst some worth one hundred some two hundred nay some foure hundred pound by the yeere the Archdeaconrie of Canturburie was valued at seuen hundred Florences by the yeere which a Cardinall of Rome had And there were aboue a dosen Cardinals resiant at Rome that had at once the best and richest dignities in the land beside a great sort of Italian priests and others that were beneficed in England By this it may appeare what good choise the Pope-holy father of Rome was wont to make in bestowing Church dignities and it were pitie but he should haue the ordering of them still he did so well dispose of them when he had them 5 Let Augustine speake who growing now old was desirous to knowe his successor while he liued he went not to Rome for the matter but assembling the Church together at Hippo where he was Bishop in the presence of two Bishops beside and seuen Presbyters or Elders Astante clero frequenti populo the whole Clergie and a great sort of people standing by Augustine himselfe began first and sayd Presbyterum Eradium mihi successorem volo I would haue Eradius presbyter to be my successor Afterward hearing how the people did approue and like of his motion he desired them to subscribe to that which was done Rogo vt dignemini gestis subscribere qui potestis And when they held their peace he vrged them further saying Hic
yet is it not best for euery man to be rich God seeth it good that some men should be poore So single life is the best for those that haue the gift of chastitie that can with a quiet conscience liue single otherwise matrimonie were much better for Saint Paul that wisheth that euery one would liue single as hee did yet afterward sayth It is better to marrie then to burne So that by the Apostles iudgement to marrie is best for him that hath not the gift of continencie Iewel pag. 232. defens Apolog. The Protestants THat it is not onely lawfull but conuenient that all men both Ministers and others that haue not receiued a proper gift of continencie should marrie and that it is agreeable and consonant to the word of God thus wee shew it 1 The scriptures are most playne for the mariage of Ministers 1. Timoth. 3.2 Saynt Paul sayth a Bishop and generally euery Minister may be the husband of one wife and verse 11. their wiues are described howe they ought to behaue themselues Let their wiues be honest Ergo it is lawfull for them to bee maried Bellarmine answereth that Saynt Paul speaketh of the wiues which they had before their calling and ordayning not those which they should marry after But there appeareth no such thing out of the text Nay Saint Paul say wee had libertie as well as others to leade about a sister a wife euen after hee was an Apostle 1. Corinth 9. Wherefore it is as lawfull afterward as afore Bellarmine answereth We must thus read a Sister a woman and it is like they were women that did minister vnto the Apostles and followed them We replie First the word Sister doth implie a woman and therefore it had been an improper and needlesse speech to say a sister a woman therefore we must rather read a sister a wife Secondly if they were other women which ministred of their substance what neede the Apostles to be mayntained of the Churches if they ministred but in their seruice and attendance who were more fit to doe it and to follow them from place to place then their wiues Thirdly the phrase of leading about a sister importeth a superioritie and authority such as the husband hath ouer his wife Another place we haue Hebr. 13.3 Mariage is honourable among all men Ergo amongst Ministers Bellarmin If it were meant of all mariages then to marrie within the degrees of consanguinitie were also honourable Answere This is a very childish cauill First hee might haue read further And the bedde vndefiled Saint Paul therefore speaketh of lawfull mariage and indeede the other ioyning and coupling of men and women together contrarie to GODS lawe is not to bee counted Matrimonie or Wedlocke but Incest rather and Fornication as the brother to marrie his brothers wife and such like Secondly Saint Paul sayth not all mariages are honourable but mariage is honourable for all men the generalitie is not of the thing but the persons Wherefore we doe fittly conclude out of this place that marriage is lawful and commendable euen among ministers argum Caluin Further Saint Paul saith For auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his owne wife 1. Corinth 7.2 Here is no restraint for Ministers Bellarm. this is to be vnderstoode of those that haue not made a vow of continency Answer First our Sauiour Christ commaundeth no such vowes it is a cruell Antichristian yoke laide vpon Ministers to binde them when they receiue orders to vowe single life therefore your Antichristian decree ought not to abridge the generall libertie granted by the Apostle Secondly the end of marriage is generall to auoyde fornication and therefore the remedie also is generall for euerie man hauing not a proper gift of continencie may be in danger of that inconuenience if he be denyed the ordinarie helpe Melancthon Againe 1. Timoth. 4. to forbid marriage is called a doctrine of diuels but the Popish Church forbiddeth marriage Bellarm. Wee doe not forbid marriage to any but we require single life of all that are entred into orders which it is at their owne choyce to receiue or to refuse Ans. First it is necessarie that some should receiue orders and be consecrate to the Church ministerie wherefore requiring this condition of all such to liue single though particularly you prohibite not this man or that to marrie yet generally you prohibite the whole calling which is worse Secondly if you say you doe not forbid marriage simplie to all no more did the Manichees for they suffered their scholars and auditors to marrie And Saint Augustines words are generall Ille prohibet matrimonium qui illud malum esse dicit he forbiddeth marriage that thinketh it is euil you therefore forbidding marriage must needs hold opinion that is wicked and euill 2 This restraint of the marriage of Ministers hath not been of ancient time in the Church but imposed vpon the Church of late 1000. yeere after Christ Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus anno 180. had seuen of his progenitors before him Bishops of the same See In the Nicene Councel Paphnutius stoode vp and stayed the decree that should haue past for restraining of the marriage of Ministers and it is saide Synodus landauit sententiam Paphnutij The Synod commended Paphnutius sentence Sozomen lib. 1. cap. 11. Gregorie the father of Gregorie was Bishop of Nazianzum The Greeke Church neuer yet receiued this popish decree of single life and their Bishops are married at this day Bellarmine saith that the Church of Rome hath dispenced with them cap. 18. Ergo if the Pope would dispence with the Latine Church it might be lawfull enough then for Ministers to marrie wherefore it is but a humane constitution Againe it is false that they haue dispenced with the Greeke Church they care not for their dispensations but vse their owne Christian libertie neither was the Greeke Church euer subiect to the Bishop of Rome Thus we see that in times past marriage was lawfull for all men vntill Pope Nicholas the second Alexander the second and Gregorie the seuenth that notable sorcerer and adulterer for these three comming together one not long after another began by publike decree to restraine Priests marriage not long after them Anselme began to play the Rex here in England anno 1104. who stoutely proceeded in his vngodly purpose and enacted that married Priests should either leaue their wiues or their benefices At which time 200. Priests at once came barefoote to the Kings palace to make complaint And for all Anselmes Popelike and outragious proceedings against married Priests yet they continued married well nie two hundred yeeres after Anselmes time doe what he could and thus it is manifest that the restraint of Ministers marriage is no ancient thing but then began most to be vrged when Antichrist fullie was reuealed to the world when as the orders of Friers came in and were confirmed and priuiledged vnder Boniface 8. about anno 1300. 3 What
better argument can we haue against this Popish decree then the great vncleannes and foule enormities that haue been brought by the meanes thereof into the Church In the time of Gregorie the first who enioyned his Clergie to liue single commaunding on a time his seruants to catch him some fish out of his Motes and Ponds in stead of fish they brought vnto him sixe thousand heads of yong children whereupon he fetching a great sigh with himselfe commended then the saying of the Apostle It is better to marrie then to burne Bellarmine hath no better answere then to denie the storie which notwithstanding is found in the Epistle of Huldericus Bishop of Augusta which he sent to Pope Nicholas Fox pag. 1155. In Anselmes time after the restraint of Ministers marriage great rumors and complaint was brought to him of the execrable vice of Sodomitrie which began to raigne in the Clergie Pope Pius the second saide hee sawe manie waightie causes why wiues should bee taken away from Priests but he saw more why they should be restored to them againe Bishop Iewell Apol. cap. 8. diuis 3. Bernard saith Tolle de Ecclesia honorabile coniugium c. Take from the Church honorable Matrimonie shall you not replenish it with incestuous persons concubinaries Sodomiticall vices Hereupon the popish Catholikes seeing their owne infirmitie began thus to salue vp the matter Si non castè tamen cautè if thou deale not chastly yet deale charily Yea they are not ashamed thus to write If any of the Priests should bee found imbracing of a woman it must bee expounded and presupposed that hee doth it to blesse her I but saith Bellarmine these are the abuses of single life will you condemne a good thing because of the abuse by the same reason saith he coelum terra tollenda sunt Heauen and earth must be taken away because they were abused of the heathen and taken for Gods cap. 21. Answere First wee say not that these bee the fruites of single life which Saint Paul commendeth in all those that haue the gift but of this co-acted and constrained Popish Virginitie which is imposed indifferently vpon all and cannot haue any good vse secondlie when you can proue that restraining of Ministers marriage is of Gods ordinance as it is certaine Heauen and earth are of his making then wee will grant vnto you that it may haue a right vse and for the abuse ought not vtterly to be abolished 4 Lastly Augustine saith Quae nubere volunt ideo non nubunt quia impunè non possunt melius nuberent quà m vrerentur id est quà m occulta flamma concupiscentiae in ipsa conscientia vastarentur Those Virgins which would marrie but cannot because of restraint and reproch might better marrie then burne that is to say then with the secret flame of concupiscence to be wasted and consumed in their conscience Wherefore it followeth that all they both Ministers votaries Virgines that haue not power to absteine should doe better for all their profession and vow to marrie then to burne THE SECOND PART WHETHER any ought to bee admitted to the Ministerie after second marriage The Papists THey denie not but that Bishops and Ministers hauing been once married error 78 are rightly ordeyned so that afterward they doe not companie with their wiues but they which haue been either themselues twice married or haue married a widdow which had a husband before are vtterlie vncapable of holy orders Bellarmine cap. 23. Rhemist Timoth. 3. sect 4. and this they call Bigamie 1 They reason thus out of Saint Pauls words 1. Timoth. 4.2 A Bishop must be the husband of one wife that is say they that no kinde a way was Bigamus or had two wiues either at once or one after another And they proue their interpretation thus First as Saint Paul describeth a widow of the Church 1. Timoth. 5.9 that hath been the wife of one husband so here hee saith of a Bishop that he should be the husband of one wife but that is meant successiuè of one husband after another for it was neuer seene that one woman should haue more husbands then one at once nor neuer suffered either amongst the Iewes or Gentiles therefore it must be so taken here a husband of one wife that is who hath been but once married as it is taken there a wife of one husband that neuer had more not onely simul at once but not successiuè not successiuely one after another Bellarmine cap. 23. Ans. First there were many women both among the Iewes and Gentiles that had forsaken their first husbands and were vnlawfully coupled to others and so had moe husbands at once and likewise many men that had done the like to their wiues but afterward repented and were conuerted to the Christian faith but yet were not admitted to any publike office in the Church because of their former infamous life Of such the Apostle speaketh in both these places and not of those that married one wife or one husband after another It is therefore great boldnes and a greater vntruth to say that there were none such heard of in those dayes for although it were neither lawfull then nor now yet both many such were heard of in those dayes and it were no hard matter to finde out some now among the papists that haue had more then one wife at once Secondly he is not to be counted Bigamus or Digamus that is coupled and ioyned to one wife after another lawfullie but he that vnlawfully at once enioyeth more then one Fulk Annot. Timoth. 5. sect 6. cap. 3. sect 4. 2 Againe say they the high Priest in the lawe was not permitted to marrie a widow Leuit. 21.13 Which lawe being obserued in the high Priest ought much more to be kept now Rhemist Answere That lawe concerning the high Priest did onely appertaine to himselfe who was a figure of Christ neither can it be extended to the Ministers of the Gospell no more then any other partes of his office that were peculiar to that state and calling Fulk Annot. 1. Timoth. 3. sect 4. The Protestants THat it is not by the word of God forbidden that any man should marrie the second yea the third time after the decease of his wife neither that hee is to be counted vnchast or giuen to wantonnes in so doing much lesse hee that in his first marriage taketh a widow neither that to haue been twise married ought to be a barre or a stop from entring into the state and calling of the Ministerie if otherwise the man be qualified and furnished with sufficient graces for that calling thus it is proued 1 They that cut off such as haue been twise married from behauing any calling in the Church doe sauour of the heresie of Montanus into the which also Tertulliane fell who condemned second marriage for if once marriage be no impediment nor preiudice to him that is to bee ordained but
that tithes should be payd Praecidite deputate aliquid fixum ex annuis fructib vel quotidianis quaestibus defaulke sayth he and appoynt some certaine portion either of your yearely fruites or your ordinary and daylie gaines Decimas vis decimas exime Will you make choyce to pay tithes then let that be the portion And yet this is no great matter for the Pharisies whose righteousnesse you ought to exceede payed their tithes Tu vix millesimam das Thou scarce payest the thousand part Tamen non reprehendo vel hoc fac sic sitio vt ad istas micas gaudeam Yet I finde not fault doe so still for I so thirst after your well-doing that I refuse not your very crummes We see then that then the payment of tithes was voluntarie Augustine refuseth not the ten hundred that is millesimam partem the thousand part which he calleth their crummes THE SECOND PART BY WHAT RIGHT tithes are due to the Ministers of the Gospel The Papists COncerning tithes or their equiualent due to Christ the priesthood of the error 81 new Testament Rhemist annot Heb. 7.4 this then is their opinion that the priesthood of the Gospell being more excellent then the priesthood of the Law and their sacrifice which they offer vp in the Masse being of greater worthines they may with better right challenge tithes then the priests of the law did for their seruice at the altar So that tithes are due to the Church onely because of the priesthood not for any other duetie appertaining to that office as preaching the word ministring the sacraments or any such Abraham payd tithes they say to Melchisedech which was the priest of the most high God in offering the formes of bread wine wherein Melchisedech did sacrifice Ergo tithes are now due to the priests of the Gospel and new law which are all after the order of Melchisedech Rhemist Hebr. 7. sect 4. 8. Answere First Melchisedechs priesthood consisted not in offering bread and wine to God but brought them foorth to refresh Abraham neither were they formes of bread and wine onely as you imagine but very materiall bread and wine for if Melchisedechs priesthood had consisted therein the Apostle would not haue omitted the chiefe thing wherein Christs priesthood was shewed forth as he doth making no mention at all of it Heb. 7. Secondly againe it is great blasphemie to say that euery popish priest is after the order of Melchisedech nay that the proper act of Christs priesthood consisteth in the perpetuall offering of his bodie blood in the Church for by this reason euery impure priest doth more properly offer the body of Christ in the Masse then it was offered by himself vpon the cros thē the which what greater blasphemie can be vttered And yet they are not ashamed to speak it yea the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse say they was after the order of Aaron and not after the order of Melchisdech and so they preferre euery popish priest offering in the Masse before Iesus Christ sacrificing himself vpon the Crosse contrary to the scripture which maketh this difference between the priesthood of Aaron and the priesthood of Melchisedech that the priests of the law were many because they were taken away by death But Christs priesthood is eternall because he dieth not Heb. 7.23 But if there should be many priestes after Melchisedechs order there should heerein bee no difference at all Wherefore seeing Melchisedechs priesthood onely resteth in Christ and is not translated to any other and that there is now no sacrifice left but spirituall of prayse and thanksgiuing Heb. 13.15 it followeth that by Melchisedechs right no tithes are now due vnto the Church neither in any such regard ought to be challenged The Protestantes TIthes or their equiualent are not due to the Church in respect of any sacrificing priesthood of which sorte there is none in the new testament ordayned to continue but for other pastorall dueties and principally the preaching and dispensing of the word and instructing of the people 1 If there were any such priesthood and tithes in that right did appertaine to the Church it is most like that our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles would haue challenged them But there is no one precept in the new testament concerning paying of tithes but onely for a sufficient maintenance for the ministers of the Gospel 1. Cor. 9.14 Gal. 6.6 Fulk Hebr. 7. sect 4. 2 Saint Paul euery where so oft as he sheweth the duetie of Christians in relieuing and mayntayning their pastors maketh onely mention of sowing of spirituall things 1. Cor. 9.11 and of teaching and instructing Gal. 6.6 Ergo tithes are due vnto Pastors and Ministers onely or especially for their feeding and instructing and sowing spirituall seede which is the word of God 3 There is no such sacrificing priesthood now in the Church as wee haue partly shewed before and shall of purpose more fully declare it afterward for euery where in the new testament spirituall sacrifices are commanded and all Christians are made Kings and Priests vnto God Apocal. 1.6 Other priesthood we read of none Wherefore in that respect tithes cannot be due Lastly Augustine sayth Si mendicum non contemnis quanto magis bonem per quem trituratur haec area If thou despisest not a beggar how much more oughtest thou to haue regard of the oxe that treadeth out the corne on the floore That is the Minister that preacheth the Gospel for so Saint Paul expoundeth it 1. Timoth. 5.17 The Elders sayth he that labour in the word and doctrine are worthie double honour and then it followeth vers 8. for the scripture sayth Thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Sufficient maintenance therefore to the Ministers is due for their labour and trauaile in the word THE SIXT GENERAL CONTROVERSIE CONCERNING THE SVPERSTITIOVS ORDERS AND SECTS OF MONKES AND FRIERS MOnkes in Latine called Monachi deriued of the Greeke word were such as liued solitarilie thereupon had they their name And they were at the beginning of three sortes some were called Eremites that liued in woods and desarts by themselues there were other which were mued vp and enclosed in cels and wals which had not so much libertie as Eremites had but kept alwayes in their cages and closets and soe in miserie spent their dayes and these were called Anchorites that is separated set apart from all men and liuing by themselues There was a third sorte called Coenobites which liued in companies as it were in Colledges by them selues had all things common And these properly were called Monks Bell. lib. 2. de monach cap. 3. This controuersie hath many questiōs 1 Concerning the beginning original of Monks of their diuers sects 2. partes 2 Concerning Counsels of perfection whether they differ from Euangelicall precepts 3 Concerning vowes in generall three partes First whether it be lawfull for Christians
diuisions among Christians as the Monkes Friers haue done one sort persecuting another for their opinions euen to death Fulk annot 1. Thess. 1. sect 2. Fox pag. 798. The Protestants COntrariwise we affirme that it is a great derogation to Christ when the people shall say I follow the religion of Augustine the religon of Francis an other sayth I holde of Dominick another I hold of Iesus as the Iesuites doe Fulk Philip. 3. vers 17. 1 Saint Paul reproueth the Corinthians because they made the like sects amongst themselues one sayd I am Pauls another I am Apolloes and concludeth that therefore they were carnall 1. Cor. 3.4 And further he sayth they should not reioyce in men for all things were theirs whether Paul Apollos or Cephas ver 21.22 That is they were not masters of their fayth to institute new religions and sects but the Ministers and seruants of the Lords inheritance If therefore it was not lawful to say I hold of Paul I hold of Cephas neither is it lawfull to say I holde of Dominick I hold of Francis I hold of Iesus for seeing they make their sects and Iesus maketh his it is euident that they are not all referred to the imitation of Iesus for then they might all as well bee called Iesuites 2 The number of Monkes and Friers was almost infinite sects vpon sects and new orders daylie were deuised as Augustinians Bernardines Carmelites Carthusians Dominicanes Franciscanes and a great sort more to the number of an hundred sects as they are reckoned by Master Fox pag. 260. and Tilmane Heshus setteth downe 65 seueral sects or rather schismes of Monkes loc 25. error 10. This yrksome rabble therefore of Monkes is fitly shadowed foorth by the swarme of Locusts which came vp out of the bottomlesse pitte Apocal. 9.4 And verily as the Locusts and Grashoppers consume and deuoure the fruits of the earth so the begging-Friers and idle Monkes deuoured the goods of the people and corrupted the doctrine of the Church 3 Lastly this diuision of Monkery into sects and sundry orders is of no great antiquitie they were not knowen in Augustines time who knew no other name of them then Monkes for hee wrote a booke of purpose de opere Monachorum of the labour of Monkes But other names of Carmelites Carthusians Franciscanes or such like were not heard of in the Church in those dayes but came in long after in the time of Innocentius 3. about anno 1212. many yeeres after Augustine Fox pag. 259. THE SECOND QVESTION CONCERning the Counsels of perfection The Papists THis they say is the very foundation of the Monastical life which is the most error 84 perfect estate and calling of Christians for they performe more then Christ hath commaunded not onely his precepts but euen his Counsels also Which they say doe much differ for the precepts are inioyned to all Christians and to leaue a precept vndone is sinne but the Euangelicall Counsels are giuen only to those that are perfect which they are not bound to keepe neither doe they sinne in leauing them vndone yet if they obserue them they doe merite more and shall haue a greater rewarde Such Counsels of perfection are these to giue all we haue to the poore to abstaine from eating of flesh to vow chastitie and such like Bellarm. cap. 7. Rhemist annot Math. 19. sect 9. 1 Matth. 19. verse 21. Christ sayth goe and sell all thou hast if thou wilt bee perfect This was a Counsel of perfection not a precept giuen to all Christians Answ. First this was both a Counsel and precept though not to al yet to this one man to discouer his hypocrisie and vayne confidence which he had in himselfe as though he had kept the law when he was farre from it Fulk Matth. 19.9 Mark 10.3 Secondly it is a generall precept vnto all to loue the Lord with all the heart and to be content when the Lord requireth for Christs sake to leaue all we haue Caluin Institut 4. cap. 13. sect 13. 2 Act. 2.44 They had all things common This is not a rule or precept to all Christian men to liue in common but a life of perfection and counsell followed of the Religious Rhemist Answere This liuing in common among the brethren in the Apostles time is the same that ought alwayes to be among all Christians that no man account that to be his owne which the necessitie of his brother requireth to be bestowed vpon him this the rule of charitie requireth which is one of the great commandements Fulk in hunc locum 3 1. Corinth 7.25 Concerning Virgins I haue no commaundement of the Lord but I giue mine aduice A precept therefore is one thing a Counsel of perfection another Bellarm. cap. 9. Answere First Paul hath no generall commandement from God to impose the yoke of continencie vpon any because God had left marriage free and therefore no man is to be barred and kept from it But the Apostles particular aduice and sentence being moued by the spirit of God vers 40. is not onely a Counsel but a commandement that both they which haue the gift of continencie should glorifie God by that gift vers 7. and they which haue it not should marrie rather then burne and so dishonour God vers 9. Therefore the Apostle sayth Let euery man wherein he is called therein abide with God vers 24. If a man be called to liue single hee ought to obey his calling hauing receiued the gift if a man be called to the maried estate he must not presume beyond his strength to liue vnmaried Wherefore it is both Counsel a precept to those that haue receiued the gift of single life for otherwise they disobey Gods calling which is sinne And our Sauiour sayth he that is able to receiue it let him receiue it Matth. 19.12 He that hath the gift is commanded to vse it for in leesing it he sinneth And lastly euery man by commandement is bound to the vttermost of his power to set forth Gods glorie But God is most glorified by the single life of those which are able to conteine and therefore they ought in duetie so to doe The Protestants WE doe truely affirme and according to the scriptures that it is impossible for any man to performe the law and commaundements of GOD much lesse to fulfill more then is commaunded And therefore it is false that beside the precepts of Christ there are Counsels of perfection which are at a mans choyce to doe or not to doe for whatsoeuer is to the glorie of God wee are bound to doe We acknowledge then no such euangelical Counsels as they imagine Caluin 1 Math. 5.48 Our Sauiour sayth Ye shall be perfect as your heauenly father is perfect Therefore all Counsels tending to perfection are commandements If there be any thing whereby we may more neerely attaine vnto perfection that we are bound and commanded to doe As if a man can better obtaine this perfection of godlinesse by
fidei testimonium This Christian duetie bestowed in burying the dead bodies which shall notwithstanding rise againe is a liuely testimonie in vs of the same faith That is we doe carefully commit the bodies of Christians to the ground knowing that they are not lost but shall rise againe but as for the dead themselues they receiue no benefite at all Curatio funeris pompae exequiarum viuorum sunt solatia magis quà m subsidia mortuorum This great prouision for funerals this great pompe of burials they are comforts for the liuing not helpes to the dead Impleant ergo homines ista erga suos postremi muneris officia sui leuamenta moeroris Let men therefore performe this last duetie to their friends which is also a great lightening of their griefe Ergo funerals profite not the dead but comfort the liuing yea it is called the last duetie which is performed at burials If it be the last then there is no duetie afterward to be done therefore prayers also are superfluous for if it were needfull to pray for the dead then the last duetie should not be in the buriall another comming afterward And thus much also concerning the manner and order of funerals THE SECOND PART OF THIS CONTROuersie of the Saints departed that are in ioye and blisse THis controuersie standeth of these seuerall questions 1. Of the blessed estate of the Saints in heauen and of the Canonizing of them vpon earth 2. Of the adoration of Saints First whether they be to be adored or not and whether it be lawfull to sweare by them Secondly of the diuers kinds of worship Thirdly of the worship of Saints vpon earth 3. Of the inuocation of Saints whether they pray for vs and vnderstand our praiers 4. Of the adoration translation keeping of reliques and of the miracles wrought by them 5. Of Images and the signe of the Crosse other matters thereto belonging more particularly handled 6 Of Churches the forme vse ornaments dedication of them and such like 7 Of Pilgrimages and Processions 8 Of holy and festiuall daies the Lords day Saints daies and of Lent 9 Of the Virgin Mary her conception vowes assumption worship merites Of these now in order THE FIRST QVESTION CONCERNING THE blessed and happie estate of the Saints departed THis question hath two parts First of their blessednes which they haue before God in heauen Secondly of the publishing or making knowne their blessednes before men which they call the canonizing of Saints THE FIRST PART OF THE BLESSED estate of the Saints before God in heauen The Papists BEllarmine taketh great paynes Lib. 1. De Sanctis in sixe long chapters together to proue that the Saints departed doe presently enioy the sight of God and doe enter into blisse and that their soules forthwith are receiued into heauen and are not kept in any secret by-places till the day of iudgement But all this while he sighteth with his owne shadowe for we grant as much as he proueth that the righteous are with Christ so soone as they are loosed from their bodies as Christ sayd to the theefe vpon the Crosse This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk. 23.42 See also to this purpose Philipp 1.23 2. Corinth 5.1 Heb. 12.22 All these places doe euidently proue that presently after their departure the soules of the faithfull doe enioy the presence of Christ and the celestiall companie of the Angels in heauen Yet our aduersaries stay not heere neither are contented with this that the Saints are blessed but proceede further and giue them a full possession of blessednesse making no difference betweene error 22 them and the Angels in glorie but affirme that they are as highly exalted as the Angels are Rhemist annot Luk. 15. sect 2. And Bellarmine therefore taketh vp Caluine because he saith the Saints are yet in hope and expectation of the perfect fruition of glorie Cap. 1. lib. 1. De Sanctis The Protestants WE confesse that the Saints in heauen are alreadie blessed yet they looke for the full accomplishment and perfection of their glorie when as their bodies shall be glorified in the resurrection Then it is sayd they shall be like the Angels and yet not in all things much lesse are their soules now equall to the Angels in glorie Fulk ibid. annot Luk. 15. sect 2. Argum. 1. The Saints shall be as the Angels but not before the resurrection Math. 22.30 Neither can it be proued out of that text that they shall then be equall to the Angels in all things for it is not all one to say they shall be as the Angels because they shall then neede no marriage as to say they shall be equal to the Angels in all things Apocalyps 6.10 The soules vnder the altar doe crie Lord how long Ergo they are in expectation of greater glorie And reason also giueth as much that the bodie and the soule being ioyned together in the kingdome of God shall make a fuller weight and measure of ioye Argum. 2. The wicked spirits and damned soules haue not yet their full and perfect torment Ergo neither the Saints their perfect ioye The diuels are now tormented and kept in chaines of darknesse 2. Pet. 2.4 Iud. 6. But their full damnation is reserued for the day of the Lord Math. 25.41 They are not yet tormented in such measure as they shall be and themselues make account for Math. 8.29 Luk. 8.31 Lastly if now the Saints are equall to the Angels in ioye their soules onely being in heauen it then followeth that in the resurrection when their bodies shall be restored to their soules their happines shall farre exceede the Angels which no where the scripture teacheth vs vnles they will thus reason Christ tooke not the Angels but the seede of Abraham Hebr. 2.16 Ergo wee are better then the Angels But to this Augustine answereth very well Some perhaps will say that wee are better then the Angels because Christ dyed for vs and not for the Angels Quale est sayth he ideo se velle aegrotum laudari quia vitio suo tam detestabiliter aegrotauit vt non posset aliter quam medic◠morte sanari As if a sicke man deserued commendation because by his owne fault he was so dangerously sicke that he could not be healed but by the death of the Phisition Quid hoc aliud est quà m de impietate gloriari Christus enim pro impijs mortuus est What is this els but for man to boast of his wickednes Christ dyed not for angels but for men because they were wicked THE SECOND PART OF THE Canonizing of Saints The Papists error 23 THe Canonizing of Saints is nothing els but the publike determination and sentence of the Church whereby men that are dead are iudged to be Saints and worthie of honour and worship as to be prayed vnto temples and altars to be set vp in their names holy daies to be appoynted for them and their reliques to
be adored And thus it is lawfull profitable and expedient for the Church to Canonize Saints Bellarm. cap. 7. Argum. 1. The Patriarkes and Prophets were Canonized for Saints in the old law Heb. 11. So Act. 7. Stephen other were Canonized therfore it is credible that the Lord would haue the same order still continued in his Church Bellarm. cap. 7. Ans. First neither in the old nor the new lawe were any set vp to be Saints with intent to be worshipped called vpon temples to be consecrated in their names but onely the scripture giueth testimonie of them as of holy and faithfull men and so may we also honour the blessed Martyrs whom the cruell Emperours of Rome and since them the Popes of Rome haue sent through fire and other torments to heauen Secondly when they haue as good testimonie for their Saints as we haue for the holy Patriarkes and Prophets they may be bold to pronounce them to be holy blessed Thirdly your argument followeth not vnles you will say that the Church may doe all things now which the Prophets and Apostles did then They may as well make scripture and more Canonicall bookes by the same reason as make and Canonize new Saints The Protestants THat none of the Saints are to be adored or worshipped their images or reliques or praiers to be made vnto them or any such honor to be giuen them it shall afterward appeare more at large And therefore they ought not to be Canonized to any such end or purpose We also grant that the number of Gods Saints and elect is encreased daylie and we are sure in generall as the scripture testifieth that the death of his Saints is precious in the sight of God Psal. 116.15 And that all are blessed that dye in the Lord But particularly we are not able certainly to determine of any the matter is to be left wholly vnto God and we in the meane time to hope the best Argum. 1 If the Church hath authoritie to Canonize Saints determine of the election or saluation of men then may we as well iudge of the condemnation of those that are lost for if it be knowen to the Church who are Saints in heauen they also may as wel define who are damned in hell But this none can doe nay it were great rashnes and want of charity for any so to take vpon them S. Paul saith Why condemnest thou another mans seruant hee standeth or falleth to his owne master Rom. 14.4 No man can iudge whether the seruant stand or fall but his Master Ergo if the Church presume to determine of the election or damnation of those that are departed she is nowe a Mistres and Lady rather of the Saintes then they Lords or patrones to her as the Papistes holde they are Argum. 2 Iudge not saith S. Paul 1. Corinth 4.5 before the time vntill the Lord come The iudgement then of men who are saued and who are condemned is reserued for the comming of Christ Therefore it is great presumption for men to preuent the time and to take vpon them to bee Iudges in Gods place Againe our Sauiour Christ saith that To sit at his right hand or left in his kingdome was not his to giue meaning as he was man but it shal be giuen to them for whome it is prepared of my Father Math. 20.23 How then is it in the power of any sinfull man to giue vnto any a seat either at the right hand or left hand of Christ in the kingdome of God Argument Gualter Bruti Fox page 487. Augustine also consenteth Non separatio iam cuique tuta est illius erit separatio qui non nouit errare Nos in hac vita difficile est vt nos ipsos nouerimus quantò minùs debemus de quoquā praeproperam ferre sententiam It is not safe for men now to make separation of the good and bad it belongeth to him that can not erre We in this life do hardly know our selues howe much lesse ought we to iudge rashly of others exposit in Psalm 139. Here are two reasons giuen why it is not lawfull for men to iudge of the election or reprobation of men first their iudgement is subiect to error and therefore the matter must be referred to God who erreth not Secondly we can not iudge our selues much lesse can we iudge of others Ergo no man liuing ought or is able to define either who are Saints in heauen or who are damned in Hell AN APPENDIX OR THIRD PART of other circumstances which belong to the Canonizing of Saints The Papists THey say that it doth appertaine onely to the Pope to Canonize a Saint for error 24 the whole Church and that none ought to be acknowledged for Saints but they that are so Canonized by him And that herein the Pope is of so infallible a iudgement that he can not erre in Canonizing of Saints because that ordinarily none are Canonized by the Pope for saintes which haue not beene knowne to worke miracles Bellarm. lib. 1. cap. 8.9 10. The Protestants FIrst if saintes were to be registred and Canonized as they say yet it should not belong to the Pope but to the whole Church Argum. 1 The Pope hath no authoritie ouer the whole Church no nor yet in any other Bishoppes dioces no more then they haue in his Let him be content with his owne dioces and it were to be wished that he could rule that well the whole world is too large a prouince for him 2 The whole Church hath power to excommunicate and deliuer vp to sathan 1. Corinth 5. 4. and to cut off the prophane and wicked from the Church of God as heathen and publicanes Math. 18.17 Ergo to iudge who are members of the Church and saintes of God is a matter which appertaineth to the whole Church 3 Before Anno. 800. in the time of Carolus magnus there was no saint publiquely Canonized by the pope as Bellarm. confesseth but the truth is this custome of Canonizing saints beganne not till more then 1000. yeare after Christ til Alexander the 3. his time and Gregorie the 7. I pray you then were there no saints before if there were who canonized them Secondly So much as is to be knowne of saints and holy men euery Christian is to acknowledge without any publike decree or determination of the Pope or any other for the word of God giueth rules whereby we may discern the righteous from the vnrighteous Christ speaking of false prophets sayeth By their fruites ye shall know them Math. 7.16 And againe he fayth thus to his Apostles By this shal men know that you are my disciples if you loue one another Iohn 13.35 By these rules it is easie for euery Christian to iudge who for the present time are the true disciples of Christ who otherwise Thirdly it is a most impudent and shameles saying that the Pope can not erre in canonizing of Saintes 1 Miracles are no sufficient proofe of a saint for
wracke And as their cause was not good so neither were the meanes that they vsed for they brought S. George and S. Denys into the field against the Turkes and left Christ at home If the Israelites could not be deliuered from the Philistims by the presence of the Arke but thirtie thousand fell before them and all because of their sinnes let not men thinke that popish Saints can defend them while their liues remaine vnreformed at home 2. That the heathen are not to be prouoked to warre but vpon iust cause that is when they prouoke vs it appeareth by the example of the Israelites who as they came from Aegypt sent vnto the King of Edom and Moab that they might haue leaue to walke through their land but they not granting so much yet the people of God offered them no violence but went a longer iourney about Iudg. 11.17 Augustine sayth Sapiens gesturus est iusta bella sed multo magis dolebit iustorum necessitatem extitisse bellorum A wise man will take iust warre in hand but it more grieueth him that he hath iust cause to warre And what he meaneth by iust warre he further sheweth Iniquitas partis aduersae iusta bella ingerit gerenda sapienti The iniquitie or iniuries of the aduerse part doth giue vnto a wise man occasion of iust warre Iust warre therefore ariseth when men are prouoked by iniuries THE EIGHT QVESTION CONCERNING holy and festiuall dayes THis question hath diuers parts First of holy dayes in generall Secondly of the Lords day Thirdly of the Festiuall dayes of Christ and the holy Ghost Fourthly of Saints holy dayes Fiftly of the time of Lent THE FIRST PART OF HOLY DAIES in generall The Papists error 58 FIrst they hold that holy and festiual daies are in themselues and properly and truely more sacred and holy then other daies are Bellarm. cap. 10. proposit 2. Apocalyps 1.10 I was in the spirit saith the Apostle on the Lords day God reuealeth such great things to Prophets rather vpon holy daies then prophane daies Ergo some daies holier then other Rhemist Apocal. 1. sect 6. The Protestants Ans. FIrst God giueth not his graces in respect of times but according to his owne pleasure Times of praier he chooseth often and of other godly exercises not for the worthines or holines of the times but for the better disposition of his seruants in such exercises to receiue them yet this was not perpetually obserued for God appeared to Moses keeping of sheepe Exod. 3. to Amos following his herd Amos 7. Secondly wee grant that the Lords day being commanded of God and so discerned from other daies may be said to be holier then the rest in respect of the present vse but not in the nature of the day for then could it not haue been changed from the last day in the weeke to the first as water in Baptisme is holier then other waters because of the sacred vse not in it selfe as by a qualitie of holines inherent And as for other festiuall daies which haue not the like institution they are appoynted onely of the Church for Christian policie orders sake for the exercise of religion But this now popish before time Iewish distinction of daies as being by their nature hoâ—â—er then other is flatly against the Apostles rule Rom. 14.5 One putteth difference betweene day and day and Galath 4.10 You obserue daies and moneths times and yeeres Augustine saith Nos dominicum diem pascha celebramus sed quia intelligimus quo pertineant non tempora obseruamus sed quae illis significantur temporibus Cont. Adimant cap. 16. We keepe the Lords day and the feast of Easter not obseruing the times but remembring what is signified by those times that is for what cause they were ordained Ergo obseruers of times are reproued The Papists 2. THey affirme the keeping and sanctification of holy dayes to be necessary errour 59 Rhemist annot Galath 4. sect 5. and that we are bound in conscience to keepe the holy dayes appointed of the Church although no offence or scandale might follow and ensue vpon the neglecting of them Esther 9. Mardocheus and Esther appoint a new festiuall day not instituted of God and bind euery one to the obseruing therof that none should faile to obserue it ver 27. Ergo men bound in conscience to keep festiuall daies Bellarm. ca. 10. The Protestants Ans. FIrst though we refuse not some other festiuall daies yet we acknowledge none necessary more then are of the holy Ghosts appointing in the Scripture Secondly we deny that the constitutions of the Church for holy dayes do bind Christians in respect of the dayes them selues in conscience to keepe them otherwise then they may giue offence by their contempt and disobedience to the holesome decrees of the Church for it selfe in it owne nature is indifferent neither can the Church make a thing necessary in nature which God hath left indifferent nothing bindeth absolutely in conscience but that which is necessary by nature wherefore keeping of holy dayes being not enioyned but left indifferent in the word bindeth no otherwise then we haue said Thirdly the example of Esther sheweth that the Church hath authoritie to appoint for ciuill vses dayes of reioycing that festiuall day then begun did not binde the obseruers in conscience no otherwise then they were bound in all lawfull things to obey their gouernours for their consent was required and they promised both for themselues their seede to keepe that day Esther 9.27 Whereby it appeareth that they were not bound absolutely in conscience to obserue it Augustine speaking of the Sabboth saith thus haec est dies quam fecit Dominus exultemus laetemur in ea This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad therein Psal. 118.24 This onely holy day he saith is of the Lords making and therefore of all other necessary to be kept THE SECOND PART OF THE Lords day The Papists THe seuerall pointes wherein our aduersaries and we doe differ about the errour 60 Christian Sabboth are these First the principall exercise of the Sabboth say they is for the people to come to the Church and heare Masse which their abominable and idolatrous sacrifice they make the proper worke of the Sabboth Catechism Roman pag. 649. The Protestants THe Sabboth was ordayned for the people to assemble together to heare the word read Act. 15.21 preached and to receiue the Sacramets Act. 20.7 and to offer vp their praiers these were the proper exercises of the Sabboth as for the popish sacrifice of the Masse we finde no mention at all thereof in Scripture The Papists error 61 2. WE dissent about the rest of the Sabboth they allow such workes to be done vpon the Sabboth as shal be permitted by the Prelates and Ordinaries and such as by long custome haue bene vsed Bellarm. cap. 10. The Protestants WE holde that as the Lords day was instituted of
in these words yet the people vnderstand nothing at all And though we denie not but that the words are holy and mysticall yet it followeth not that they should be vsed for a prayer 3. What great account they make of the Aue Mary it may appeare by this that they thinke they may alter and change it and adde to it at their pleasure as by Pope Sixtus the 4. there was a clause more added vnto the common Aue Mary in this manner Haile Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Iesus Christ and blessed is Anna thy mother of whom thy virgines flesh hath proceeded without blot of originall sinne What a fearefull thing is this that they should thus dare to adde vnto the scriptures How can they now escape that iudgement that is threatned against all those that doe adde or take ought to or from the word of God Apocal. 22.18 Thus farre of such questions and controuersies as concerne the kingdome of Christ which is his Church of the which we haue now entreated at large first in generall of the whole and then of the seuerall parts and members thereof in order Now follow those controuersies which belong vnto the Priesthood of Christ the third excellent and glorious office of our Sauiour which his Priesthood is partly seene in his intercession and mediation for vs partly in his sacrifice where we are to handle the great and waightie controuersies of the Sacraments by the which the sacrifice of his death is applied vnto vs. THE TENTH GENERALL CONTROVERSIE CONCERNING THE INTERCESSION AND MEDIAtion of Christ whether he be onely our Mediatour and Intercessor The Papists THey seeme in these very words to confesse that Christ is the onely singular error 86 aduocate and patrone of mankinde that by himselfe alone and by his owne merites procureth all grace and mercie none asking or obtaining either grace in this life or glorie in the next but by him But this letteth not but that there may be other inferiour mediatours though not in that singular sense Rhemist annot 1. Timoth. 2. sect 4. Argum. Christ is the only Sauiour and Redeemer of the world yet the name of Sauiour and Redeemer is giuen to men in the scriptures as Iud. 3.9 Othniel is called a Sauiour Act. 7.35 Moses a Deliuerer or Redeemer and all this without derogation to him that in more excellent manner is the onely Sauiour of the world Ergo there may be also many mediatours in an inferiour degree to that singular mediatour to offer vp our praiers Rhemist ibid. Ans. 1. If Christ be sufficient to procure all grace and mercie vnto vs what neede then the mediation or inuocation of Saints for wee must either doubt of his power in ioyning other helpers with him or make question of his good will and readines to helpe vs in making other mediatours vnto him 2. They make other mediatours and intercessors beside Christ euen in that high and singular degree for not onely Christ by their doctrine by his merites procureth grace but other Saints also by their merites are our mediatours as it is plaine to see in that popish praier Tu per Thomae sanguinem c. By the blood of Thomas which for thee he did spend make vs Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend In this blasphemous prayer and a thousand such they pray only to Christ as God not as mediatour men departed and many of them no Saints they make their onely mediatours by their owne proper merites See Fulk ibid. Againe their Saints are not onely intercessors for grace but conferrers of grace and helpe which is the highest degree of mediation They appoynt seuerall patrones amongst the Saints for all purposes S. Apollonia for the tooth-ach Saint Rooke for the pestilence Saint Petronill for the ague Saint Gregorie for Schollers Saint Morris for Souldiers Saint Luke for Painters Saint Crispin for Shoomakers Saint Nicholas for the sea Saint Iodocus for corne Saint Vrbane for wine And thus doe they not onely as they beare vs in hand pray for these graces and blessings but they haue power themselues to bestow them Ans. 3. Concerning the name and title of Sauiour and Redeemer we answere first men are called in the Scripture Deliuerers and Sauiours in respect of some temporal deliuerance not of the spiritual or eternal redemption which belongeth onely to Christ but you make your Saints mediators of eternall redemption Secondly they whom the Scripture calleth Redeemers and Sauiours were appoynted by God for such temporall deliuerance but you cannot shewe the like appoyntment for Saints to be mediators of eternall saluation though in an inferiour degree to Christ. Thirdly seeing the name of God and Christ is giuen to men in the scriptures as to Princes and Prophets why may you not as well say that there may be many Gods and Christs properly though in an inferiour degree to him which is only God and Christ as to appoynt other inferiour Redeemers Sauiours and Mediators The Protestants WE acknowledge but one onely Mediatour as well of intercession as redemption euen Iesus Christ our Lord to whom and through whom all our praiers supplications ought to be made to him we only pray as being one God with the Father and the holy Ghost by him and through him we only pray as being the only Mediatour betweene God and man Arg. 1. S. Paul saith There is one mediatour of God and men the man Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 2.5 Hence we doe frame this argument The mediator betweene God and men must himselfe be both God and man but so is none but Christ Ergo he is the onely Mediatour Arg. 2. He is onely the aduocate and mediatour for our sinnes that is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2.1 Christ only is the propitiation for our sinnes Ergo the onely mediatour Augustine thus writeth vpon this place Si Apostolus ita diceret c. If the Apostle had sayd thus If any man sinne you haue me a mediatour with the father and I doe by my praier obtaine pardon for your sinnes as Parmenianus in a certaine place maketh the Bishop a mediatour betweene the people God Quis sicut Apostolum Christi non sicut Antichristum intueretur Who would behold him as an Apostle of Christ and not as Antichrist It is then Antichristian doctrine in Augustines iudgement to make any other mediators or intercessors beside Christ. HERE FOLLOW SVCH CONTROVERSIES as concerne the Sacraments of the Church OF the Sacraments then wee must first intreate in generall and afterward handle them in particular THE ELEVENTH GENERAL CONTROVERSIE OF THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL THis Controuersie containeth diuers questions first of the nature and definition of a Sacrament Secondly of the efficacie and vertue of the Sacraments Thirdly of the number and order of the Sacraments the difference and preeminence amongst them They thus follow in their order THE FIRST
doe as well belong to the institution as the other Secondly they say that the words of institution doe not serue any thing at all for the instruction of the people to shew them the right vse of the Sacrament but onely for benediction and consecration of the elements Bellarm. cap. 19. Thirdly they doe hold that only by the pronouncing of those words the elements are consecrated whereas by the whole action and cerebration of the Sacrament the giuing receiuing inuocation thankesgiuing according to Christs institution the consecration is performed vpon the elements Fulk 1. Corinth 10. sect 4. Arg. 1. That the words of institution rehearsed do helpe as well to admonish stirre vp the people to a thankful remēbrance of the death of Christ as to consecrate blesse the elemēts it is manifest whereas Christ saith as the words are vsually rehearsed Doe this in remembrance of me and S. Paul saith That by receiuing the sacrament we doe shew forth the Lords death 1. Corinth 11.26 Ergo the people are by the words pronounced instructed and admonished and taught the right vse of the sacrament Argum. 2. that the words of institution doe helpe toward the benediction or consecration of the Elements we deny not but not by them alone but praier also and thankesgiuing and the whole action beside of receiuing To the consecration or sanctifiyng of any creature two things are required the word of God and praier 1. Timoth. 4.5 Neither the word sanctifieth without praier nor praier without the word Ergo to the sanctifiyng cōsecrating of the sacrament the bare rehearsall of the institution sufficeth not without inuocation and praier Augustine saith Accedat verbum ad elementum et fiet Sacramentum Let the word be ioyned to the element and it is become a Sacrament And in an other place he sheweth what word he meaneth Faciente verbo non quia dicitur sed quia creditur hoc est verbum fidei quod praedicamus The word effecteth this not because it is spoken or vttered but because it is beleeued this is the word of faith saith the Apostle which we preach thus farre Augustine tract in Johan 80. Wherefore it is not the muttering of a few words in a strange toung after the manner of enchaunters that by any secret force giuen vnto them hath power to consecrate but the vnderstanding hearing and beleeuing the institution of Christ with calling vpon the name of God and thankesgiuing before him AN APPENDIX OF THIS PART WHETHER THE forme of wordes in the institution of the Sacraments may not be by some addition or other alteration changed The Papists THe words of institution may be changed two manner of wayes either substantially error 89 when the sence is also altered with the words or accidētally whē the elements or syllables are onely changed but the sence remaineth the same If there be a change in the substance of the words the sacrament is imperfect if the alteration be of the forme onely of words and not of the sence the sacramēt is not destroyed but he sinneth that doth so alter them Wherefore it is not lawfull any way at all to alter or change the forme of words Bellarmine cap. 21. li. 1. Argum. It is not lawfull to adde or take to or from the words of scripture much lesse to change the words appointed to be vsed in the Sacrament Bellarm ibid. Ans. To adde or detract to or from the word of God with a purpose and intent to wrest it to a contrary meaning and destroy the true sence thereof cannot be done without great impiety and such is the manner of all heretikes But to alleadge Scripture in keeping still the full sence though we misse of the wordes is not to be counted so heinous a sinne we see the holy Apostles in citing textes of Scripture doe not alwaies binde themselues to the very wordes as Act. 7.43 Heb. 10.5 The Apostle saith A body thou hast giuen me In the Psalme we read Mine eares hast thou opened diuerse wordes yet the same sense Augustine saith very well they that vnderstand the Scripture though they keepe not alwaies the wordes are better then they that read and vnderstand not Sed vtrisque ille melior qui et cum volet ea◠dicit et sicut oportet intelligit But he is better then both that both remembreth the wordes and keepeth the sense too yet he also deserueth praise that beareth the sense in minde though he cannot the words The Protestants NO substantiall change we confesse is to be admitted in the forme of Institution which may alter the sense neither is any particular man by himselfe to make any accidentall change and bring in a new forme of wordes but the publike and vniforme order of the church must be kept yea and the church likewise is bound both to reteyne the true sense and as neere as may be the very words but where occasion serueth to make some small accidentall change of the words the sence being nothing diminished it is not condemned as an vnlawfull and sinfull act Argum. 1. The Euangelists report not all the same forme of words which should be vttered by our Sauiour neither yet S. Paul fully accordeth with them in the precise and strict forme of institution as by comparing of them together it may be seene Mat. 26. ver 27. Take eat this is my body S. Luke cap. 22. This is my body which is giuen for you do this in remembrance of me ver 19. S. Paul Take eat this my body which is broken for you doe this in remēbrāce of me 1. Cor. 11.24 ver 28. This is my blood of the new testament that is shedde for many for the remission of sinnes This cup is the new testamēt in my blood which is shed for you This cup is the newe testament in my bloud this do as oft as you drink it in remēbrance of me If it had beene a sinne to haue missed in some termes and sillables no doubt the spirite of God would not haue suffered these holy writers to haue made the least scape Is it to be thought a sinne in the Church which in stead of Take ye eate ye in the plurall number hath appointed the Sacrament to be ministred particularly in the singular number to euery of the cōmunicants saying Take thou eat thou drinke thou Wherfore all accidentall change of words carieth not with it a guilt of sinne Augustine indeede saith Certa sunt verba euangelica c. The words of the gospell are certaine whereby Baptisme is consecrated But yet he saith else where In ipso verbo aliud est sonus transiens aliud virtus manēs In the word spoken the sound which passeth is one thing the vertue or sense of the words which abideth is an other It is then the sence of the words not the sound or sillables that is certaine and permanent THE THIRD PART OF THE INSTRVMENTALL cause of the Sacraments that is the lawfull
and the thing is abolished from our hearts and mouthes we trust in God wee shall neuer haue occasion to knowe it againe But howsoeuer it is this name Missa Masse cannot signifie any such thing as they pretend 1 For it seemeth that Missa was deriued à dimissione populi of the dimission or sending away of the people and so was taken generally for any congregation assembled either to pray or sing Psalmes or for any other religious duetie As yet to this day in the Dutch language Messe signifieth any solemne frequencie or congregation of the people In this sense Cassianus vnderstandeth Masse that is for the dimission of the people speaking of him that commeth not timelie to the howers of praier hee would not haue him to enter in but stantem pro foribus congregationis missam praestolari debere hee ought standing without the doores to waite for the misse of the congregation 2 Augustine taketh this word Missa generally for the leiturgie or seruice of the Church as serm de tempore 251. if that SermoÌ„ be Augustines Sunt aliqui maximè potentes huius mundi cum veniunt ad ecclesiam non sunt deuoti ad laudes Dei celebrandas sed cogunt presbyteruÌ„ vt abbreuiet Missam there are some and commonly the great men of the world which come not to Church with any deuotion to sing praises to God but they constraine the presbyter or Minister to make short Masse Here this word Masse signifieth the whole leiturgie as singing of Psalmes and praising God not any sacrifice or oblation for then he would haue said Cogunt sacerdotem not presbyterum They constraine the priest not the Minister Wherefore as the sacrifice of the Masse is of no great antiquitie so neither is the name in that sence THE SECOND PART OF THE sacrifice of the Masse The Papists CHrist they say at his last Supper did offer vp his owne bodie and blood in error 128 sacrifice vnder the formes of bread and wine to God his father and at the same instant made his Apostles and their successors Priests to offer vp his bodie â—n the Sacrament Concil Tridentin sess 22. cap. 1. And the same bodie which Christ offered vp vpon the crosse is dayly offered vp by the ministerie of the Priests the difference onely is in the manner of offering Concil Trident. ibid. c. 2. The eternitie proper act of Christs Priesthood consisteth in the offering sacrificing of the body blood of Christ in the formes of bread wine in the Church Rhem. Heb. 7. sect 8. And we meane alwaies of Priest sacrifice taken in their owne proper signification ibid. sect 7. In the Eucharist then there is a true sacrifice of the very bodie and blood of Christ offered vp to God by the hands of the Priest in the formes of bread and wine Bellarm. cap. 5. Argum. 1. Christ is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech but the proper act of Melchisedechs priesthoode did consist in sacrificing in the formes of bread and wine Ergo the eternitie of Christs priesthoode standeth in the sacrificing of his bodie and blood in those formes there doth therefore still remaine a proper external sacrifice in the Church Rhemist annot Hebr. 7. sect 8. Bellarm. cap. 6. Ans. 1. We confesse that Melchisedech was a type of our Sauiour Christ and that he was a Priest after Melchisedechs order but not in any such respect for offering in bread and wine for the text saith hee brought forth bread and wine he offered it not he brought it forth for the refreshing of Abraham and those which were with him Genes 14.18 2. He brought forth bread and wine and not the formes onely of bread and wine therefore your sacrifice in the formes onely is not after his order 3. If Melchisedechs bringing forth of bread wine were a sacrifice or oblation and a type of the like sacrifice to continue for euer in the Church it must also haue been a propitiatorie sacrifice for the remission of sinnes as they say the sacrifice of the Masse is which was thereby signified but there is no propitiatorie sacrifice for remission of sinnes without shedding of blood Hebr. 9.22 Therefore Milchisedechs act being without blood was no such sacrifice and consequently none at all 4. The Apostle to the Hebrues sheweth wherein Christ was a Priest after Melchisedechs order Heb. 7. First in that Melchisedech was both king Priest verse 2. so is Christ. Secondly in respect of the eternitie of his Priesthoode we doe not reade either of the beginning of his dayes or end of his life nor of any change of his priesthoode vers 3. Al which is most truely verified in Christ. Thirdly Melchisedech was a type of Christ and his Priesthoode of Christs because of the excellencie thereof aboue the Leuiticall Priesthoode for Leui paide tithes in Abraham to Melchisedech and therefore was inferior and was blessed of Melchisedech in Abraham the lesse of the greater so is the Priesthoode of Christ aduaunced farre aboue Aarons order If in any other materiall point Melchisedechs Priesthoode had resembled Christs as in this oblation of bread and wine the Apostle would not haue omitted it 5. Therein consisted the proper act of Melchisedechs priesthoode for the which he receiued tithes of Abraham but as the Apostle saith he receiued tithes and blessed Abraham Heb. 7.6 Ergo the tithes were due not for any sacrifice which he offered but for his blessing The same therefore was the proper act of his Priesthoode Argum. 2. They alleage that place Heb. 8.3 Euery high Priest is appointed to offer giftes and hostes wherefore it is necessarie that he also haue somewhat to offer Christ then hath a certaine host in externall and proper manner as other Priests haue but this visible and externall act of sacrificing he doth not exercise now in heauen therefore it must needes bee meant of the perpetuall oblation of his body and blood in the Church for somewhat he must alwaies haue to offer Rhemist Hebr. 8. sect 3. Ans. 1. The Apostle saith not that it is necessarie that Christ should still haue somewhat to offer in sacrifice but that it was needefull for him to haue somewhat which he had alreadie offered for the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not the present tence but the time past whereby is vnderstoode the oblation which hee had already offered once and which neede not bee repeated Hebr. 7.27 For as herein hee is like to other Priests that hee must haue somewhat to haue offered so is he vnlike also in this that they by reason of their infirmitie had need to offer often but Christ our high Priest did it but once as in that place the Apostle sheweth 2. The gift which the Apostle in this place attributeth to Christ was his bodie which hee calleth the true Tabernacle which the Lord pight and not man But that bodie of Christ which they say is offered vp in the sacrifice of the
the Masse is auaileable The Papists error 132 FIrst they affirme that Masse may be fayd and offered for all the liuing yea for Pagans and infidels for men absent as well as present for Saint Paul willeth prayers and supplications to be made for all men 1. Timoth. 2.1 Bellarm. cap. 6. Secondly the sacrifice of the Masse is auaileable for the dead which are in error 133 Purgatorie Bellarm. cap. 7. Concil Trid. sess 22. can 3. error 134 Thirdly Masse may be rightly sayd in the remembrance and for the honour of Saints with inuocation of them also in the prayers of the Church Bellarm. cap. 8. Argum. The Apostles taught the Church to keepe a memorie or inuocation of the Saints in this sacrifice and that there should be speciall prayers for the dead for these and such like were the things no doubt that S. Paul sayth he would set in order when he came 1. Cor. 11.34 Rhemist ibid. Ans. 1. To the place out of Timothie we haue answered before that it is vnderstood generally of all prayers made by the faithfull neither doth it follow it is lawfull to pray for all men and therefore the Sacrament is auaileable for all men for these are two diuers things prayer is an effect of our faith the Sacrament is an instrumental or ministerial cause of our faith 2. It is too great boldnes for you without scripture to affirme that these superstitious rites of yours were those very orders which the Apostle promised at his comming to establish but either they were such as partained not to the administration of the Sacrament or were but accidentall orders meete for the Church of Corinth and not necessarie for all times and places The Protestants FIrst the Sacrament for sacrifice we acknowledge none is onely ordained for their comfort that doe receiue it neither can one receiue the Sacrament for another no more then he may be baptized in the stead of another Secondly neither doth the celebration of the Sacrament profite the dead as we haue shewed before that it is in vaine to pray for them Thirdly neither are the Saints either then or at any other time to be prayed vnto or either by this or any other religious worship to be honoured Argum. All these superstitious obseruances are cleane contrarie and repugnant to the institution of Christ. First he sayth Take ye eate ye doe this wherefore to their comfort onely the Sacrament worketh that doe receiue it and are doers in that action the benefite thereof then is not extended to the absent but onely to the partakers Secondly the dead can feele no comfort by it because they can neither eate nor drinke it nor be doers therein Thirdly Christ sayth Doe this in remembrance of me he sayth not in remembrance of Angels Apostles Saints but onely of me Therefore it is contrarie to the institution to vse any commemoration of Saints in the Sacrament Augustine sayth Quis offeret sacrificium corporis Christi nisi pro ijs qui sunt membra Christi Who will offer the sacrifice of the bodie of Christ but for the members of Christ Lib. 1. de origin anim cap. 9. Therefore the Sacrament can not be celebrated for Pagans and Infidels who are no members of Christ. Againe he sayth Nos Martyribus non constituimus templa sacerdotia sacra aut sacrificia We doe not erect either temples priests seruice or sacrifices to Martyrs De ciuitat dei lib. 8. cap. 27. Ergo it is not lawfull to vse the Sacrament for the honour of Saints THE FIFT QVESTION OF priuate Masses The Papists IF any man shall say that priuate Masses wherein the Priest alone by himselfe error 135 doth communicate are vnlawful and therefore to be abolished we pronounce him accursed Concil Tridentin sess 22. can 8. Argum. The sacrifices of the law were sacrifices before the people did eate thereof so the substance making of a medicine is one thing the ingredience or taking of it an other Ergo neither is receiuing part of the substāce or making of the sacrifice of Christs bodie but a consequence only therefore there may be a sacrifice and sacrament without it Rhemist 1. Corinth 11. sect 14. Ans. First we denie that there is any sacrifice in the Eucharist but a Sacrament onely and therefore the comparison holdeth not betweene a sacrifice which consisted both of oblation to God and the participation of the people that offered and the Sacrament which Christ in his institution offered not to God but to his Disciples Secondly neither doth the similitude of a medicine conclude for you cannot proue that the Sacrament not receiued hath vertue in it as a medicine hath for faith is requisite to the worthie receiuing of the Sacrament which is not necessarie in the applying of a medicine and yet it is not properly called a medicine vnlesse being made it be also applied and being receiued doth heale The Protestants WE vtterly condemne the superstitious practises of popish priests who doe vse to communicate alone in their Masses the people standing by gazing and looking vpon him yea you might haue seene many Masses sayd in one Church at once almost in euery corner one no person being present for the most part but the priest and his boy Argum. This priuate receiuing of the Sacrament is contrarie to the institution of Christ who sayth speaking to many Take ye eate ye and diuide this amongst you there must be then a diuision and distribution Saint Paul also sayth We that are many are one bread and one bodie in as much as we are partakers of one bread 1. Corinth 10.17 Ergo many must communicate together· For the Apostle speaketh not of the mysticall communion of the faithfull in this place which doe all make but one bodie in Christ for so we doe communicate with the Church by faith not onely in the Sacrament but without it but of the Sacramentall communion of as many as receiue together for how els can they be sayd to be partakers of one bread or loafe vnlesse they receiue together Augustine sayth that Sacramentum benedicitur sanctificatur ad distribuendum comminuitur That the Sacrament is blessed sanctified and broken to be distributed Ergo where there is distribution there must be many to receiue AN APPENDIX CONCERNING THE name of the Sacrament The Papists THey vtterly mislike these names of the Sacrament that it is called amongst vs the Lords Supper or Communion belike say they they will bring it againe to the Supper or euening seruice Rhemist 1. Corinth 11. sect 6. And the name Communion is as ignorantly vsed of them thereby making the people beleeue that many should communicate together 1. Cor. 11. sect 24. they should rather vse the names of the Eucharist Masse or Leiturgie The Protestants FIrst for the name of the Lords Supper we doe learne of S. Paul so to call it When ye come together sayth he this is not to eate the Lords Supper 1. Corinth 11.20 Rhemist The
vs sustine hath bene mine I haue endured the labour I would abstine might be theirs that they would abstaine from ill speaking Lastly if I haue taken vpon me more then is performed I haue done foolishly for that olde verse might haue warned me sufficiently Sumite materiam vestris qui scribitis aptam viribus But I trust by the gratious assistance of God I haue in some smal measure accomplished that I would and I say with Augustin Gratias ago Deo qui quantum voluit donando quod voluit fari promisit et vâ—i voluit tacendum linguae terminum posuit For it is God that gaue me strength to proceede so far as I haue done and hath set me my bouÌ„ds which I should not passe for no mâ—n may exceede the line and measure of his gifts 2. Corin. 10.14 Thus I end commending these my labours to the charitable and christian iudgement of the Church of God whom I desire to profit and to your Honors protection whom I wish in vertue and honor to tread your Fathers path and both of you to liue so long as it pleaseth God to his glory and the comfort of his Church and afterward to be euerlastingly rewarded in heauen through the onely merits of Christ Iesus to whom be praise for euer Your Honors to commaund in the Lord Christ Andrew Willet HERE ENSVE THE CONTROVERSIES OF THE FIVE OTHER POpish Sacraments Penance Matrimony Confirmation Orders Extreme Vnction THE FOVRTEENTH CONTROVERSIE of popish Penance VNto this controuersie belong these questions following First of the name Penance whether it be rightly giuen 2. Whether that which they call Penance but we much better Repentance be a Sacrament 3. Whether there be any other Sacrament of repentance beside Baptisme 4. Of the essentiall partes of penance as the matter and forme and of the 3. material parts Contrition Confession Satisfaction with an appendix whether repentance goe before faith 5. Of Contrition 1. The cause thereof 2. The quantity thereof 3. Whether it be ioyned with faith 4. Whether it be satisfactory 5. Whether contrition be necessary for venial sinnes 6. Of contrition which onely proceedeth of feare 6. Of Auricular confession 1. Whether it be necessary 2. whether it be a diuine ordinance 3. To whom it is to be made 4. Of the time 7. Of satisfaction with the seuerall branchâ—s of this question 8. First of penall iniunctions 1. Whether necessary 2. By whom to be imposed Secondly of indulgences 1. Whether there be any such 2. The grouÌ„d of them 3. In whose power they be 9. The circumstances of penance 1. Their habite 2. Their workes 3. Of the time of their penance THE FIRST QVESTION OF THE name of Penance The Papists THe Latine word Poenitentia which they translate Penance being deriued of error 1 poena doth signifie say they not onely confession and amendement of life but contrition and sorrow for the offence and painefull satisfaction Bellarm lib. 1. cap. 7. Argum. Math. 11.21 the word must needs signifie sorrowful paineful and satisfactory repentance Rhemist Math. 3.2 The Protestants Ans. THe place quoted out of S. Mathew proueth no such thing where our Sauiour saith that Tyre and Sâ—don would haue repented in sackecloth and ashes which is no satisfaction for sinne but an outward signe of true sorrow for sinne Argum. The Greeke word euery where vsed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth as Laurentius Valla noteth emeÌ„dationem mentis the change or amendemeÌ„t of the minde and no such outward satisfactory penance as they pretende Wherefore it is more fitly englished Repentance And although the Latine word Poenitentia doe not properly expresse the Greeke word to the which resipiscere resipiscentia repentance and to repent do better answere yet agere poenitentiam in Latine is not to doe penance as the Rhemists translate it but is all one as to say repent yea and so the Rhemists themselues read be penitent Mark 1.15 and not doe penance And Act. 11.18 they translate poenitentiam repentance Augustine thus taketh this word poenitentia Rectè poenitens quicquid sordium contraxit oportet vt abluat saltem mentis lachrymis The true penitent man must at the least wash away his sinnes with the teares of the minde If then repentance be in the soule what is become of this outward satisfactorie penance THE SECOND QVESTION WHETHER THERE be any Sacrament of penance The Papists error 2 CHrist they say instituted the Sacrament of penance when he breathed vpon his Apostles after his resurrection and said vnto them Receiue ye the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained Ioh. 20.22 The faculty of the Priesthoode coÌ„sisting in remitting of sinnes is heere bestowed vpon the Apostles Rhemist annot Ioh. 20. sect 5. Herevpon they are bolde to conclude that penance is truely and properly a Sacrament Concil Trident. sess 14. canon 1. Bellarm. lib. 1. de poenitent cap. 10. Ans. 1. If the power of remission of sinnes were heere first instituted how could the Apostles baptize or minister the Lords supper before without power to remit sinnes to the penitent Christ therefore in this place doth but renewe and confirme the authority of their Apostleship which was granted to them before Math. 18.18 Secondly this power here giuen is principally exercised by preaching of the word of God and denouncing publikely or priuately the promises of God for remission of sinnes to the penitent or the threates and iudgement of God in binding the sinnes of the obstinate and impenitent So Luke 20.24 Christ commandeth his Apostles to preach repentance and remission of sinnes in his name Thirdly we confesse also a iudiciary power of the keies in binding and loosing which is exercised in ecclesiasticall discipline in punishng and absoluing according to the word of God as the incestuous person was bound when he was deliuered vp to Sathan 1. Cor. 5.5 he was loosed againe when he was restored to the Church 2. Cor. 2.7 But neither this nor the other was commended to the Church as a Sacrament The Protestants TRue repentance we doe acknowledge which is a dying to sinne and a walking in newnes of life Rom. 6.4 But a Sacrament of repentance we finde none in Scripture and therefore we deny it Argum. 1. In euery Sacrament there is an externall sensible element as water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Lords Supper but there is none in their penance Ergo no Sacrament Bellarm. answereth that the words of absolution and confession are the outward signes in penance it is not necessary it should be a visible signe it is a sensible signe being audible cap. 11. Ans. 1. There must be the word beside the element as Augustine saith Accedat verbum ad elementum Let the word be ioyned to the element and it maketh a Sacrament the word it selfe cannot be the element for the same thing cannot both sanctifie and be sanctified And if the audible word be the element by
but they are not of Christs institution 3 They also want a word of institution In Penance the priest sayth I doe absolue thee after particular confession made of his sinnes In Confirmation the words are I signe thee with the signe of the Crosse and confirme thee with the Chrisme of saluation in the name of the Father Son c. In Matrimony I take thee to my wife In giuing of Orders Receiue thou power to offer vp the body of Christ. In extreme Vnction God by the vertue of this oyle forgiue thee thy sinne These they say are the wordes of the institution But they can shew no word of God for them for it is not euery word that sanctifieth but only the word of God 1. Tim. 4. Wherefore seeing they haue no word of institution they are no sacraments Lastly they want the true vse and end of a sacrament which is to strengthen our fayth for the remission of sinnes for in some of these there is no relation at all had to the forgiuenes of sinnes As Matrimonie doth but performe say they the graces of mariage as fidelitie mutuall loue and such like Orders doe conferre the power of priesthood Here is no signe or assurance of the grace of iustification In the rest remission of sinnes is ascribed to other instrumentall meanes then to fayth onely as to satisfactorie workes in Absolution to Chrisme in Confirmation to oyle in extreme Vnction Wherefore we conclude because they are no seales of the righteousnes of fayth as Saint Paul defineth a sacrament Rom. 4.11 that they are no sacraments of Christs institution but superstitious ceremonies deuised by men HERE ENSVE SVCH QVESTIONS AND CONTROVERSIES AS ARE MOOVED CONCERNING THE BENEfites of our redemption purchased vnto vs by the death of Christ. THE SEVENTEENTH CONTROVERSIE ALl the benefites of our redemption may bee brought to these three heads Our predestination vocation and iustification as they are set downe by the Apostle Rom. 8.30 These three then are the parts of this Controuersie THE FIRST PART OF Predestination THe particular questions are these First whether predestination bee of the wicked to condemnation as of the elect to saluation Secondly whether our electiō be of meere grace Thirdly whether it be certaine vnchangeable THE FIRST QVESTION OF Reprobation The Papists GOd they say is not the cause of any mans reprobation or damnation Rhemist error 55 annot Roman 9.1 He intendeth no mans damnation directly or absolutely but in respect of their demerites ibid. sect 5. Argum. 1. Timoth. 2.4 God would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Ergo the perishing or damnation of none must be imputed to God Rhemist The Protestants An. 1 NO mā must impute his dānation to God because the wicked are iustly punished for their sins without any respect had vnto the secret counsel of God yet it is certain that God to set forth his glory as he hath made som the vessels of honor so others are ordained to be vessels of wrath without any respect had to their workes either good or euill And this notwithstanding standeth with the iustice of God to saue some and reiect others for he might iustly condemne all to eternall death Now if notwithstanding he haue mercy of some his iustice in the condemnation of the rest is not to be complained of but his mercy to be extolled in sauing of some God indeede would haue all men to bee saued that is sayth Augustine Omnes homines omne genus humanum intelligamus by all men we must vnderstand all sortes or all kindes of men not euery particular man And this is agreeable to the Apostles meaning which before exhorted men to pray for kings and princes and then he giueth this reason because God would haue all men to be saued that is high and low kings and people of all sortes And this place also is to be vnderstood not of the secret but of the reuealed will of God who offereth vnto all the outward meanes of their saluation Thus also Augustine expoundeth these wordes Remota hac discretione quam diuina scientia intra secretum iustitiae suae continet syncerissimè credendum est c. Setting apart the consideration of the secret counsell and iustice of God it is sincerely to bee beleeued that God would haue all men to be saued that is offering vnto all the outward meanes of saluation as his worde and sacraments Contr. articul fals imposit Art 2. Argum. Rom. 9.22 The Apostle speaketh playnly that as God hath prepared some vessels vnto glorie so also some are ordayned to wrath And that the counsell of God is most iust herein for as the Potter may dispose of the clay as it seemeth best to himselfe to make of it a vessell of honor or of dishonor at his pleasure so the Lord hath as great right to deale with his creature And seeing all things ought to be subdued to the glory of God which is set foorth in the destruction of the rebellious as in the election of the faythfull it was necessary and requisite that the Lord should get vnto himselfe both wayes a glorious name therefore he saith Rom. 9.17 That God had set vp Pharao to shew his power in him Augustine sayth Tenenda est inconcussè haec regula impios in peccatis antequam essent in mundo praescitos esse tantùm non praedestinatos poenam autem ijs praedestinatam This rule we must vndoubtedly holde that the wicked were only foreseene or foreknowne of God in their sinnes not predestinate but their punishment was predestinate So then God ordayneth not men to sin but he ordayneth men to punishment not hauing relation to their sinnes but in his owne secret counsell Yet are not the wicked to complayne for they are iustly forsaken because of their rebellion and disobedience Neither are the godly and faythfull by this doctrine to be discouraged for as much as God hath not denied them the grace of his spirite but hath giuen them fayth and repentance and strength to walke before him in his feare all which are pledges vnto them of their free election and saluation in Christ. THE SECOND QVESTION WHETHER PREdestination proceede from the free will and purpose of God without relation to our workes The Papists GOd doth not hate or reprobate any man but for sinne or the foresight thereof error 56 Rhemist Rom. 9. sect 2. Neither doth Christ appoint any by his absolute and eternal election to be partakers of the fruite of his redemption without any condition or respect of their own works obediēce or free will Rhem. Heb. 5.9 Argum. Heb. 5.9 He is made the author of eternal saluation to al that obey him they are not we see elected without condition of obedience Rhemist The Protestants Ans. 1. GOd indeede electeth all that shall be saued not with any condition on their behalfe but on his owne behalfe for vnto them whome hee chooseth he will giue grace to obey
Pastors and of the election of the Pope pag. 197 3 Of Ecclesiasticall degrees and orders 3. parts 1 Of the seuen degrees of popish priesthood p. 199 2 Of the difference of Bishops and other Ministers pag. 201 3 Of the office of Cardinals pag. 205 4 Of the keyes of the Church 4. parts 1 Wherein the authoritie of the keyes consisteth pag. 206 2 To whom the authoritie of the keyes â—s committed p. 208 3 Whether the Pastors of the Church haue absolute power to remit sinnes pag. 210 4 Of the effect of binding and loosing pag. 212 5 Of the marriage of Ministers three parts 1 The marriage of Ministers lawfull pag. 214 2 Men may be admitted to Orders after second marriage pag. 219 3 Whether perpetuall abstinence be required in married Ministers pag. 221 6 Of the maintenance of Ministers by tithes two parts 1 Whether the paiment of tithes bee necessarie pag. 228 2 By what right tithes are due pag. 229 The sixt controuersie of Monkes and Friers sixe questions 1. quest Of the originall of Monkes and of their diuers sects pag. 232 2 Of the difference betweene Euangelicall Counsels and precepts pag. 236 3 Of vowes in generall three parts 1 Whether it be lawfull for Christians to vow pag. 239 2 Wherein lawfull vowes consist pag. 241 3 Whether voluntarie vowes properly be any part properly of the worship of God pag. 242 4 Of Monasticall vowes 3. parts 1 Of the vow of voluntarie pouertie pag. 244 2 The vow of Monasticall obedience p. 246 3 Of the vow of chastitie pag. 247 5 Of Monasticall persons foure parts 1 Whether the younger sort ought to professe Monkerie pag. 251 2 Whether children may be made Monkes without their parents consent pag. 253 3 Whether married persons may with mutuall consent become votaries pag. 254 4 Whether marriage not consummate may without consent bee broken for the vow of continencie pag. 256 6 Of the rules and discipline of Monasticall life foure parts 1 Of the solitarie austere life of Monks pag. 257 2 Of the habite and shauing of Monkes pag. 259 3 Of their Canonicall houres pag. 261 4 Of the maintenance of Monkes pag. 262 The seuenth generall controuersie of the Ciuill Magistrate foure questions 1 Of the authoritie of the Prince in Ecclesiasticall matters foure parts 1 His authoritie ouer Ecclesiasticall persons pag. 266 2 Ouer Ecclesiasticall goods pag. 267 3 In causes Ecclesiasticall pag. 268 4 Whether the Prince may be sayd to bee the head of the Church in his kingdome pag. 271 2 The authoritie of the Prince in punishing heretikes 1 Whether the iudgement of heresie any way belongeth to the Prince pag. 274 2 How an heretike is to be tried pag. 275 3 How heretikes are to be examined and punished Ibid. 3 Whether the positiue lawes of Princes doe binde in conscience 4 Whether the Prince may be excommunicate of the Pope THE SECOND BOOKE CONTAINETH SIXE CONTROVERSIES The first controuersie which is the eight in the whole is concerning Angels three questions 1. quest Of the hierarchie of Angels 2. parts 1 Of the degrees of Angels p. 291 2 Whether Michael be the Prince of the Angels pag. 292 2 Of the ministerie of Angels three parts 1 Of their externall ministerie in the protection of the Church pag. 293 2 Of their spirituall office about our prayers pag. 295 3 Whether Angels know our hearts pag. 296 3 Of the worship of Angels 2 parts 1 Of their worship in generall pag. 299 2 Of the inuocation of Angels pag. 300 The ninth generall controuersie concerning Saints departed two parts 1. part Of those that suffer punishment being departed two questions 1 Of Limbus Patrum and of the apparition of Samuel pag. 302.305 2 Of Purgatorie foure parts 1 Whether there be any Purgatorie pag. 307 2 Of the circumstances of Purgatorie pag. 310 3 Of prayer for the dead p. 312 4 Of burials funerals p. 315 2. part Of the Saints that are in ioy and blisse after their departure 9. quest 1. quest Of the blessed estate of the Saints and of Canonizing of Saints pag. 320 2 Of the adoration of Saints 3. parts 1 Whether they are to bee adored and of othes vowes made to Saints pag. 325 2 Of the diuers kindes of worship pag. 330 3 Of the kissing of holy mens feete pag. 331 3 Of the inuocation of Saints three parts 1 Whether prayers are to be made vnto them pag. 332 2 Whether they pray for vs pag. 334 3 Whether they vnderstand our praiers p. 335 4 Of the reliques of Martyrs foure parts 1 Of the worshipping of Reliques pag. 338. 2 Translation of Reliques pag. 340. 3 Preseruing of Reliques pag. 342. 4 Miracles of Reliques pag. 343. 5. question 1. Of Images foure parts 1 Of the difference of Idols Images p. 347 2 Whether it bee lawfull to haue Images pag. 348 3 Whether to be worshipped pag. 350 4 What manner of worship it should be p. 353 2. Of the signe of the Crosse 4. parts 1 Of the Crosse whereon Christ suffered p. 355 2 Of the image of the Crosse. pag. 357 3 Of the signe of the Crosse. pag. 359 4 Of the power or efficacie of the Crosse. p. 360 5 An appendix concerning the name of Iesus pag. 361 6. quest Of Temples and Churches fiue parts 1 Of the situation and forme of Churches pag. 3â—2 2 Of the ende and vse of Churches three parts pag. 365 1 Whether they are built for sacrifice pag. 365 2 Whether they be holy places in theÌ„selues pag. 367 3 Whether they may be dedicate to saints pag. 368 3 Of the adorning of Churches pag. 370 4 Of the dedication of Churches pag. 372. 5 Of thinges hallowed for Churches pag. 373 7 Of Pilgrimages and Processions and of the holy land pag. 375 8 Of holy and festiuall daies fiue parts 1 Of holy dayes in generall 378 2 Of the Lords day 379 3 Of the festiuall dayes of Christ and the holy Ghost pag. 386 4 Of the festiuities of Saints 1 The number of them 2 The manner of keeping them pag. 388 3 Of their vigils p. 391 5 Of Lent and Imber daies pag. 392 9 Of the Virgin Mary 1 Whether she were conceiued without sinne pag. 398 2 Whether she vowed virginitie pag. 400 3 Of her assumption into heauen pag. 401 4 Of the worship due vnto her pag. 402 5 Of the merites of the virgine and of the Aue Maria. pag. 404 The tenth controuersie hath but one question concerning the mediation and intercession of Christ. pag. 406. The eleuenth controuersie concerning the Sacraments in generall three questions 1. quest Of the definition and nature of a Sacrament 1 Of the efficient cause or institutor of the sacrament pag. 408 2 Of the forme manner of consecration pag. 409 3 Of the instrumentall cause which is the Minister pag. 413 4 Of the vse whether the Sacraments be seales pag. 414 2. quest Of the efficacie and vertue of the Sacraments 1 Whether the SacrameÌ„ts
but now they doe light them at noone day 3 These offices haue not been in vse these many yeares among the papists themselues for many times the Sexton or his boy doe execute the charge both of Acolites Ostiaries and Readers yea of Deacons and Subdeacons also when the Priest with his boy can dispatch a Masse Neither are these orders retayned amongst them for any especiall seruice or office but onely as praeparatories and steps and degrees to the priesthood Fulk annot 1. Timoth. 3. sect 7. THE SECOND PART OF THE DIFFErence of Bishops and other Ministers The Papists WE differ from them in two poynts First they say that Bishops are not onely in a higher degree of superioritie to other Ministers but they are as Princes of the Clergie and other Ministers as subiects and in all things to bee commaunded by them Secondly they affirme that Bishops are onely properly Pastors and that to them onely it doth appertaine to preach and that other Ministers haue no authoritie without their license or consent to preach at all and that not principally or chiefely but solie and wholie to them appertayneth the right of consecrating and giuing orders For the first for the princely authoritie of Bishops whom they would haue obeyed in all things they wrast these and such like places of scripture as 2. Cor. 1.9 I write vnto you to know whether you will be obedient in all things Ergo they must be absolutely obeyed Answere the Apostle challengeth only obedience in such things as he should commaund agreeable to Gods word for if I my selfe sayth he preach another Gospell holde me accursed Galat. 1. Fulk annot 1. Cor. 2. sect 3. 2 Against an Elder receiue no accusation vnder two or three witnesses 1. Tim. 5.19 Ergo the authority of Bishops is absolute and princelike Videmus Episcopum iudicem esse presbyterorum proinde verum principem wee see the Bishop is the iudge of the Elders Ergo a prince ouer them Bellarm cap. 14. Answere First it followeth not Bishops haue iurisdiction and authoritie ouer other Ministers Ergo they are princes ouer them Can there be no preeminence and superioritie in the Church but it must needes be princelike Is euery iudge a prince ouer those which are brought before him to be iudged 2. Timothie had no such princelike authority for here it is restrained limited a rule is set down by the Apostle which he must obserue Ergo his authoritie was not absolute Thirdly Saint Paul was so farre off from making Timothie a prince in the Church at Ephesus that he would rather haue him not to rebuke but to exhort the Elders as fathers the younger men as brethren cap. 5.1 Where now is his princely authoritie become whereas he maketh his subiects as our aduersaries call inferior Ministers his fathers and brethren For the second the Apostles properly had the preaching of the word committed vnto them Act. 6. For other were chosen to attend vpon tables the Apostles also onelie had the right of laying on of hands Act. 14.23 Ergo It is proper onely to Bishops to preach and to ordayne who are the Apostles successors Bellarmin Answere First Bellarmine denieth that Bishops doe properly succeed the Apostles de pontifice lib. 4.25 because he would magnifie the Pope his ghostly father aboue all Bishops but now forgetting himselfe hee sayth Episcopi propriè succedunt Apostolis Bishops doe properly succeede the Apostles cap. 14. so by this reason euery Bishop hath as ful authoritie as the Pope Secondly euery godly faithful Bishop is a successor to the Apostles we denie it not so are all faithfull and godly pastors Ministers for Christ prayeth for them all indifferently hauing first praied for his Apostles Iohn 17.20 I pray not for these alone sayth our Sauiour but for al them which shal beleeue in me through their word Thirdly at that time when the Deacons were elected the congregation was at Ierusalem neither were there as yet any other Pastors ordained therefore the Apostles only attēded vpon preaching of the word but afterward when they had ordayned Pastors in other Churches to them also fully was committed the word of reconciliation Ephes. 4.11 Christ hath giuen some to be Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and teachers So that Pastors teachers though ordained first by the Apostles yet had their calling of God and together in their calling authoritie and commission to preach neither being once ordayned needed they to expect anie further license from the Apostles And as for the right of ordayning and imposition of handes though it were chiefly in the Apostles yet the Pastors and Elders together with them layde on their handes Act. 13.4 Yea the Rhemists confesse as much that when a Priest is to be ordered the rest of the Priests together with the Bishop doe lay on their hands Annotat. 1. Timoth. 4.18 What doth this else signifie but that they haue some interest in ordayning together with the Bishop The law also must be changed Heb. 7.12 that is the manner and forme of the priesthood But we easily see your drift you would gladly haue vs like of this argument that in stead of a high Priest in the law you might bring a Pope into the Church The Protestantes FIrst though we doe admitte that for auoyding of schisme the Church hath thought it meete there should be difference in degree and a superioritie among Ministers yet your princely dominion which you doe vrge in no wise must be admitted 1 It is contrary to the rule of Christ. Luk. 22.25 the Kings of the nations are Lords ouer them and they that haue authoritie ouer them are called benefactors Here our Sauiour speaketh not of tyrannical dominion for how could tyrants be benefactors but forbiddeth that there should be any such princelike and pompous preeminence among ecclesiasticall persons as there is among secular and ciuill gouernours A superioritie may be graunted but not as the Prince is ouer his subiects it was so in time of popery that the people were halfe subiects to the Prince and halfe subiects to their spirituall gouernours But though we acknowledge other ecclesiasticall fathers and pastors yet we are subiects onely to our prince 2 Saint Peter also is flat against this princely rule and dominion Feede the flock sayth he not as Lords ouer Gods heritage but that you may bee ensamples 1. Pet. 5.3 But are not they I pray you Lords ouer the flock that challenge to be princes Secondly concerning the power of preaching we affirme that euery pastor once ordayned hath sufficient authoritie to preach in his owne flocke and charge as Iohn Husse notably prooued to their face out of a certayne glose in the fift booke of the decretals that when as the Bishop ordayneth anie Priest he giueth him also therewithall authoritie to preach Wee denie not but when there is iust occasion this authoritie maybe restrayned by the Church gouernours and so also may an euill Minister be suspended
whether they that haue the dispensation of the Keyes doe alwaies necessarily bind and loose before God of these in order THE FIRST PART WHEREIN THE AVthoritie and power of the Keyes consisteth The Papists error 73 BY the Keyes and power of binding and loosing they chiefly and principally vnderstand the censures of the Church as Excommunications Anathematismes suspensiōs Degradations the whole Ecclesiastical iurisdictiō Rhemist Annot. Matt. 16. sect 14. Bel. lib. 1. de pontif cap. 13. Secondly they tye remission and retaining of sinnes to their imagined and deuised sacrament of penance saying that where Christ gaue authoritie to remit sinnes to his Apostles Iohn 20.23 he instituted the sacrament of penance Rhemist Iohn 20. sect 3. The sacrifice also and Sacraments of the Church say they are ministred for remission of sinnes Rhemist 2. Corinth 5. sect 3. Thirdly they seeme to grant in words that by preaching also of the Gospell sinnes are reteined and remitted ibid. but they make small account thereof for as we haue heard they make it not of the essence of their priesthood to preach neither doth it properly appertaine vnto that office yea say they absolutiō cānot be rightly sought for at the priests hands but by confession of our sins which is done in penance Rhem. Ioh. 20. sect 5. This then is their opinion that by their deuised ceremonie and Sacrament of penance sinnes are properly forgiuen and that the preaching of the word is not thereto necessarie Their chiefe argument is by abusing that place Iohn 20.23 where they say Christ instituted the Sacrament of penance when he gaue power to his Apostles to remit and reteine sinnes Ans. First your Sacrament of Penance is neither grounded vpon this nor any other place of scripture here in the wordes of Christ there is no institution of a sacrament because there is no visible element giuen whereunto the worde being added may make a sacrament Secondly here the commission is but renewed which was granted before to his Apostles and their successors Matth. 18.18 Fulk Annot. Iohn 20. sect 3. The Protestants THe Keyes of the Church that is the power to bind and loose sinners to open or shut vnto them the kingdome of God consisteth both in the externall discipline and gouernement of the Church lawfully executed according to the word of God as also in preaching of the Gospell by assuring in Christs name all faithfull and penitent persons remission and forgiuenes of their sinnes and in denouncing and threatning the wrath of God against the disobedient and impenitent also as the sacraments are ioyned to the word as seales and pledges of the promises thereof so by the right administration of the sacraments together with the preaching of the word sinnes are retained or remitted The Rhemists therefore doe vs great iniurie in falsely charging of vs that we should hold that the spiritual power of the Church standeth only vpon the preaching of the word whereas wee grant that it is exercised also in the Ecclesiasticall gouernement of the Church both in punishing excommunicating censuring of offenders which is the binding of them and in releasing and absoluing them againe which is the other power of loosing Rhemist 2. Corinth cap. 10. sect 1. Leauing now this part of spiritual power in Ecclesiasticall discipline which is not in this place in question betweene vs wee must touch that other part which is exercised in the word and sacraments 1 That the sacraments doe binde and loose it is proued out of the word of God they doe binde Whosoeuer eateth drinketh vnworthily eateth drinketh his own damnation 1. Cor. 11.29 they doe also loose As oft as ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cup you shewe the Lords death till he come vers 26. But here is a double caution and condition to be annexed First that all Sacraments worke not this effect but onely those of Christs institution which are but two baptisme and the supper of the Lord for Paul saith I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you 1. Cor. 11.23 If the Apostles would not neither might deliuer any Sacraments but those which were instituted of Christ what great presumption is it in any other to doe it Secondly we must not think that remissiō of sinnes is necessarily tied to the Sacraments as though there could be no remissiō without thē for the grace of remission may be effectual in the name of Christ by the preaching of the word without a sacramēt Ioh. 20. sect 4. Ful. For the word may be preached without a sacramēt but the sacramēt cānot be ministred without the word for that were as though a man should deliuer a seale without a writing Neither is it our meaning that as the Rhemists cauil with vs the sacramēt cannot be administred without a sermon of the death of Christ for though that were alwaies to bee wished yet where it cannot bee had there must and ought to be a briefe shewing and declaration of the death of Christ out of the word so oft as the Sacrament is administred as it is obserued in our Church Fulk Annot. 1. Corinth 11. sect 15. 3 We must take heede we conceiue not thus as though the Sacrament gaue grace by the worke wrought and that by the very vse forme and externall act of the Sacrament wee obtaine remission of sinnes as the Rhemists would beare vs in hand 1. Corinth 11. sect 15. But the Sacraments are onely effectuall to the worthie receiuers and to the worthie receiuing faith is requisite as Saint Paul willeth all men to examine themselues 1. Corinth 11.28 which is as hee himselfe interpreteth it to proue whether they be in the faith 2. Corinth 13.5 These conditions then being obserued we denie not but that there is an exercise of the keyes euen in the Sacraments 2 But chiefely and principallie is this power dispensed by the preaching of the word as Saint Paul saith Wee are the sauour of death vnto death vnto some there is the binding and to other the sauour of life vnto life there is the loosing 1. Corinth 2.16 So our Sauiour Christ saith He that refuseth mee the word that I haue spoken shall iudge him in the last day Iohn 12.48 Here is the power of binding Againe the truth shall make you free Iohn 8.32 Here is the power of loosing Who therefore doubteth this that the preaching of the word is the most proper and principall way and meane for the exercising of this Ecclesiasticall power for seeing faith is the key of heauen thereby wee haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace Rom. 5.2 and faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the word It remaineth that by the word the keyes are dispensed Augustine also subscribeth vnto this for speaking of reformation of life and repentance with remission of former sinnes thus he saith Quid empturus es vt facias quae emplastra quaesiturus ecce cùmloquor muta cor factum est quod tam
would haue promised health by calling for the Elders if the gift had not beene generall in euery congregation Ans. 2. Neither is remission of sinnes annexed to the element but to the generall doctrine of prayer made in fayth The prayer of fayth saith the Apostle shall heale the sicke The Protestants EXtreme Vnction is no conuenient ceremonie at all to be vsed in the Church as tending to superstition and breeding a vayne confidence in terrene elements much lesse is it to be holden for a sacrament Argum. 1. It hath no institution from Christ For they themselues confesse that Mark 6.13 there is but a preparatiue to the sacrament of extreme Vnction Rhemist the promulgation and publishing thereof is set forth by the Apostle Iam. 5. But this is not to be admitted that Christ was a preparer of sacraments onely and that they were perfited and finished by his Apostles Nay they were not to adde any thing to the institution of sacraments but to take them as Christ deliuered them 1. Cor. 11.23 Agayne the place in Iames maketh nothing for their popish aneeling for the Apostle would haue al the Elders called but one priest is sufficient to bring your oyntment box Secondly if any man be sick sayth Saint Iames though it be not deadly or mortall sicknes but whensoeuer he is sicke But your Vnction is neuer ministred before the poynt of death Thirdly here health is certainely promised But not one amongst tenne recouereth after your popish aneeling Argum. 2. Christ vsed sometime clay and spittle sometime other elements in healing the diseased as the Apostles vsed oyle why I pray you then may not they be sacraments as well as this For they were signes of healing but for a time no more was the anoynting with oyle Augustine sayth De latere Christi in cruce sacramenta ecclesiae profluxerunt The sacraments of the Church issued out of Christs side vpon the Crosse There gushed out â—â—is side water and blood but wee reade not that any oyle was shedde from 〈◊〉 therefore by Augustines argument Vnction is no sacrament THE SECOND PART OF THE effect and vertue of extreme Vnction The Papists error 53 FIrst it giueth health of body Secondly it wipeth away the reliques of sinne And therefore the priest thus sayth Per istam sanctam Vnctionem suam pijssimam misericordiam indulgeat tibi Deus quicquid deliquisti per visum c. By the vertue of this holy oyntment and the most merciful fauour of God the Lord forgiue thee what thou hast offended by thy sight hearing c. Bellarm. cap. 7.8 The Protestants 1 YOur popish aneeling is not able to heale the bodie as wee see by daylie experience for more die then liue after your anoynting And they that doe recouer should doe as well without your aneeling Wherefore this anoynting of oyle is not like to that vsed by the Apostles for then health certainly followed Iam. 5.14 2 It is also a great blasphemie to ascribe remission of sinnes to a terrene and beggerly element The Apostle saith not the oyle but the Prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke The scripture also testifieth that the Iust shall liue by fayth Rom. 1.17 And we walke by faith not by sight 2. Corinth 5.7 But he that ascribeth remission of sinnes to oyle or any other externall element walketh by sight not by fayth THE THIRD PART OF THE MINISTER of extreme Vnction and the ceremonies The Papists FIrst they giue power only vnto their anoynted Masse priests to aneele the sicke with oyle Lay men haue no authoritie to doe it nor whosoeuer are error 54 no Priests Concil Trident. sess 14. can 4. Secondly for the rite and ceremonie the Priest comming to the sicke must anoynt his fiue senses his eyes eares nostrels mouth and hands also the reines which is the seate of concupiscence and his feete which are the instruments of execution Bellarmin cap. 10. The Protestants 1 THis anoynting which Saint Iames speaketh of was done by the whole company of Elders in euery congregation which were not all the Pastors of the Church Yea and it appeareth by their own Canons Innocent 1. Epist. 1. cap. 8. that it was lawfull for lay men and all Christians to vse this anoynting see Fulk annot Iam. 5. sect 5. 2 What neede the body be anoynted in so many places It is meere superstition of the like minde was Peter sometime when he sayd to Christ who would wash his feete Lord not my feete onely but my hands and my head To whom Christ answered He that is washed neede not saue to wash his feete but is cleane all Iohn 13.9 Where although the words of Christ haue a spirituall meaning yet we see the euident and playne practise of them in Baptisme In the which sacrament we doubt not but that infants are thorougly baptized though euery part be not touched with water And euen so if your aneeling were a sacrament why might it not suffice in some one part of the bodie to be anoynted and not in so many This we are sure of that nowe you speake without booke For the Apostle maketh no mention of anoynting eyes hands or mouth but onely generally of anoynting the sick And thus it appeareth that your extreme Vnction is no sacrament nor any of the other foure which you haue inuented THE CONCLVSION OF THIS treatise concerning the sacrament THus I trust we haue made it pliane by scripture and euidence of argument that there are but two sacraments onely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord left and enioyned to the people of God by our Sauiour Christ for foure things are required to make a sacrament First the authority of Christ in commanding it Secondly the element or external signe as the matter Thirdly the word of institution as the forme Fourthly the end and vse to be a seale of our fayth for remission of sinnes 1 Concerning the efficient cause we finde that two sacraments onely in the new testament are commanded by Christ to be vsed for euer in the Church Baptisme and the Lords Supper which both by his owne example and presence as also his precept and commandement were established 2 There must be an outward visible elementall signe as is water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Lords Supper But so is there not in the fiue popish sacrameÌ„ts For in some there is no signe at all as in Matrimonie where they are driuen to say that the parties that are maried are the signes In some there is a signe but not visible as in absolution the audible voyce of the priest ponouncing the words of absolution is they say the outward signe But in all the sacraments of Christs institution we finde a visible signe In some there is an outward signe but it is an action or gesture only no material element which is not sufficient so is the imposition of hands in giuing of Orders In some there is a materiall signe as Chrisme in Confirmation oyle in extreme Vnction